W^SM 


V,  ■■ 


|VAL    m    JESYPT. 


WALTER'S  TOUR  IN  THE  EAST 


BY 

DANIEL    C.    EDDY,   D.  D., 

AVTHOR     OF     "the     PERCY     FAMILY." 


WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 


•Mysterious  Egypt!    Time's  quaking  tread 
Has  levelled  down  thy  domes  and  capital*, 
And  shook  thy  very  temple  to  its  bum." 


NEW   YORK 

THOMAS   Y.   CROWELL  &   CO. 
13  AsTOR  Place. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1862  by 

SaELDON  AND  COMPANY, 

tn  Um  Clerk's  Offlc«  of  the  Pietrict  Court  for  the  Soutiiern  District  ci 

Hem  Tork. 


URL 


^/ 


PREFACE. 


This  series  of  books,  six  in  number,  will 
describe  the  visit  of  a  company  of  young  tour- 
ists to  the  most  interesting  and  sacred  spots  on 
earth.  Such  incidents  will  be  recited,  and  such 
facts  presented,  as  will  interest  and  instruct  boys 
and.  girls,  and  give  even  adult  minds  some  idea 
of  the  romantic  East.  The  aim  of  the  author 
is  to  impart  permanent  benefit,  as  well  as  to 
amuse  and  please  the  reader. 


CONTENTS. 


Chap.  Pagh 

I.     Making  Akrangements 13 

II.     What  we  saw  in  going  over 24 

III.  Malta  and  the  Mediterranean 37 

IV.  Experience  in  Alexandria 53 

V.  Pompey's  Pillar;  Cleopatra's  Needles-   67 

VI.     Grand  Cairo 78 

VII.     The  First  Donkey  Ride 8» 

VIII.    The  Mosques 100 

IX.     The  City  of  the  Sun 110 

X.     Climbing  the   Pyramids 121 

XI.     The  Wonderful  Kivek 133 

XII.     The  Contract  with   Achmet 144 

XIII.  Crossing  the  Desert  of  Suez 1.0  7 

XIV.  The  Passage  of  the  Red  Sea 1 70 

XV.     The   Portfolio 181 

XVI.    Looking  Back '"■' 


LIST   OF  IIJ^USTRATIONS. 


(FROM   DESIGNS  BY   E.  J.    WHITNEY.) 


Pagh 

ARRIVAL   IN    EGYPT.     {Frontispiece.) 58 

FIRST   DONKEY    RIDH 97 

CLIM-I'.ING    THE    PYRA.MIDS . 122 

BOAT   LIFE   ON   THE  MLt     187 


WALTER'S  TOUR   IN   THE  EAST. 


ORDER   OF  THE   VOLUMES. 

WALTER   IN   EGYPT. 

WALTEli   IN   JERUSALEM. 

WALTER   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY. 

WALTER   IN   DAMASCUS. 

WALTER   IN    CONSTANTINOPLE. 

WALTER   IN    ATHENS. 


PERSONS    REPRESENTED   IN    THE    STORY. 


Walter:  a  Lad  Jrom  Cambridge. 

Minnie  :  his  Sister. 

Harry  St.  Clair  :   a  Schoolfellow. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Percy:  Parents  of  Walter  and  Minnie 

Mohammed  Achmet  :  an  Egyptian  Dragoman. 

Several  Gentlemen  traveuing  m  the  East. 


WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MAKING   ARRANGEMENTS. 

The  snow  lay  deep  upon  the  hills  of  New 
England,  and  the  cold  blasts  of  winter  whistled 
through  the  valleys  of  the  old  Bay  State.  In 
the  metropolis,  the  tramways  were  covered  witl\ 
ice,  and  the  jaunty  cars  were  laid  aside.  The 
brisk,  handsome  lads  covered  their  ears  with  soft, 
Warm  fur,  and  blew  their  hands  as  if  they  were 
hot,  as  they  coasted  on  the  Common,  which  is  so 
beautiful,  either  clad  in  the  green  garb  of  sum- 
mer, or  robed  in  the  white  mantle  of  winter. 
The  girls  were  coaxing  unwilh'ng  papas  for  skates 
wherewith  to  enjoy  the  wild  sport  of  Jamaica 
Pond ;  and  the  little  fellows,  too  small  to  skate 
or  coast,  were  frolicking  in  the  fleecy  snow.  At 
the  season  of  the  year  thus  indicated,  the  family 
of  Peter  Percy  were  assembled  one  evening  in 
their  suburban  home,  that  looked  like  a  marble 
palace  as  the  pale  moon  cast  her  beams  upon  its 


14  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

snow-wreathed  front.  Out  through  the  crystal 
panes  flashed  the  cheerful  beams  of  light,  while 
within,  gathered  beneath  the  massive  chande- 
lier, were  as  merry  a  group  and  as  happy  a 
family  as  could  be  found  in  the  land.  Mr. 
Percy  held  his  newspaper  in  his  hand,  and 
now  and  then  would  read  a  paragraph  to  his 
wife,  who  sat  by,  engaged  upon  a  piece  of  em- 
broidery. Walter  was  having  a  simple  ^ime 
with  Harry  St.  Clair,  and  the  changes  of  fortune 
from  side  to  side  often  caused  boisterous  merri- 
ment. Minnie  was  puzzling  her  brain  over  a 
hard  lesson  in  arithmetic,  the  recitation  of  which, 
the  next  day,  she  knew  would  have  an  impor- 
tant bearing  upon  her  standing  in  her  class.  At 
length  the  game  between  the  boys  was  finished, 
and  Walter,  starting  up,  asked,  — 

"  Father,  do  you  remember  the  promise  you 
made  me?" 

"  What  promise,  my  son  ?  " 

"  Now,  have  you  forgotten  ?  " 

"  Unless  you  tell  me  what  the  promise  was, 
and  where  it  was  made,  I  cannot  say  whethei 
1  have  forgotten  it  or  not." 

"  Do  you  not  remember  being  in  Cologne  two 
Bummers  since,  looking  out  upon  the  Rhine?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  there  you  promised  me  that  in  two  years 
you  would  take  me  to  Egypt  and  Palestine  ?  " 


MAKING   AKKANGKMK.NrS.  15 

"  Ah,  Walter,  you  have  a  good  memory." 

"  I  always  remember  such  promises  as  that." 

"  Well,  do  you  wish  to  go  this  year  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  would  like  to  go  any  time." 

"  So  should  I,"  exclaimed  Minnie,  lookin^^  ii| 
from  her  school-book. 

"  I  have  not  been  unmindful  of  my  promise, 
children,"  said  Mr.  Percy.  "  I  have  been  think- 
ing of  the  subject  for  weeks,  and  have  found 
two  or  three  gentlemen  who  would  like  to  make 
the  tour." 

"  Oh,  delightful !  "  cried  Minnie. 

"  When  shall  we  go  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  I  cannot  tell  just  when,  but  I  think  about 
the  first  of  April,  if  at  all." 

"  Oh,  now,  Pa,  don't  begin  to  back  down,"  said 
Minnie. 

"  We  will  see  about  that.  Mr.  Tenant  wish- 
es to  go,  Mr.  Allston,  the  young  rector  of  the 
church  in  the  next  town,  Mr.  Dunnallan,  the 
gentleman  whom  you  have  seen  here  once  or 
twice  of  late,  and  Dr.  Forrestall,  our  excellent 
physician,  all  propose  to  join  the  party." 

"  Glorious,"  cried  Walter  clapping  his  hands. 

"Why  did  you  not  tell  us  this  before?" 
asked  the  dauchter. 

"  Because  I  did  not  wish  to  have  your  heads 
full  of  the  subject,  and  so  spoil  your  studies 
this  winter." 


16  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  But  mamma  does  not  seem  surprised  at  all," 
said  Minnie. 

"  I  knew  it  long  ago,"  said  the  lady;  "and  am 
going  with  you,  my  children." 

"  Good,  good  I  "  they  both  cried  at  once. 

"  We  have  arranged  that  Charlie  shall  stay 
with  his  Aunt  Hester,  and  that  the  house  shall 
be  left  in  the  care  of  our  trusty  servants  ;  and 
that  I  shall  go  with  you  the  whole,  or  a  part  of 
the  journey." 

"  Oh,  I  am  so  glad,  Mother,"  screamed  Minnie. 

*'  I  should  not  be  willing  that  my  little  girl 
should  go  so  far  away  without  me." 

"Your  little  girl!"  said  Minnie,  reproachfully. 

All  this  time,  Harry  St.  Clair,  who,  it  will  be 
remembered  was  a  young  correspondent  while 
our  travellers  were  in  Europe,  sat  listening  with 
intense  interest,  catching  every  word  that  was 
uttered,  and  seeming  to  be  absorbed  in  the  con- 
versation. He  had  listened  hour  after  hour  to  the 
recitals  of  Walter  and  his  sister,  and  often,  when 
they  had  anticipated  the  pleasure  of  visiting 
Palestine,  he  had  resolved  to  go  with  them. 

"  Mr.  Percy !  "  at  length  he  exclaimed  ab- 
ruptly. 

"  What  say,  Harry,  I  had  almost  forgotten 
that  you  were  present  ?  " 

"  May  I  go  with  you  ?  " 

"You?" 


MAKING  ARRANGEMENTS.  17 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  I  don't  know  !  " 

"  Why  may  I  not  ?  '.' 

"  Would  your  father  allow  it  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  would,  for  he  told  me  after  you 
went  awav  before,  that  if  he  had  thoufrht  of  the 
benefit  it  would  be  to  me,  he  would  have  made 
arrangements  for  me  to  have  gone  then." 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  say." 

"  Say  yes." 

"  Oh  (io,  Pa,"  cried  Minnie. 

"•  Well,  Harry  can  ask  his  father,  and  if  Mr. 
St.  Clair  consents,  I  have  no  objections." 

"  Hurrah,  hurrah,  hurrah  !  "  enthusiastically 
shouted  Harry,  almost  overturning  the  table  in 
his  joyfulness. 

The  matter  being  settled  thus  far,  Harry  ran 
home  and  found  his  father,  who  consented  that 
his  son  should  go  with  the  party,  provided  Mr. 
Percy  would  be  careful  to  keep  him  out  of  mis- 
chief. The  next  morninir,  before  the  Percy  fam- 
ily  were  uj),  he  was  at  their  door,  ringing  the 
bell  and  thumping  for  admittance.  Walter  heard 
the  noise,  and  putting  his  head  out  of  the  win 
dew  saw  Harry  on  the  steps. 

"  Heigho,  Harry  !  " 

"  All  rigiit,  Walter ;  father  says  I  may  go,  if 
your  father  will  keep  me  out  of  mischief." 

"  A  hard  job  he  will  have." 
2 


18  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"No,  I  will  do  first-rate." 

A  few  weeks  after  this,  Mr.  Percy  announced 
to  his  children  that  the  party  was  formed ;  and 
in  addition  to  those  mentioned,  Mr.  Butterworth, 
a  banker,  who  had  devoted  himself  to  business 
for  years;  and  Mr.  Damrell,  a  retired  gentleman, 
wo\ild  accompany  them,  making  seven,  besides 
Mrs.  Percy  and  the  children. 

"  What  shall  we  have  to  carry  ? "  asked 
Walter. 

"  For  a  Syrian  tour,"  replied  his  father,  "  we 
need  to  dress  somewhat  different  from  the  style 
we  adopted  on  our  European  journey." 

"Shall  we  find  the  weather  warm?" 

"Yes,  and  we  shall  want  more  protection  from 
the  sun,  though  we  need  r.ot  take  such  articles 
from  this  country;  we  can  find  them  in  the  East." 

"  I  would  like  to  get  all  my  clothing  before  I 
start." 

"  You  can  do  so.  To-morrow,  if  you  wish, 
you  can  go  to  your  tailor,  and  have  him  make 
for  you  a  suit  of  drab,  or  gray  woollen  cloth." 

"  Woollen  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Why  not  of  some  thin  cloth." 

"  Woollen  is  a  non-conductor  of  heat,  and  pre- 
vents sudden  changes  in  the  temperature  of  the 
body,  and  often  saves  the  traveller  from  the  Sy- 
rian fever.  ' 


MAKING  ARRANGEMENTS.  19 

"  What  shall  I  get  for  iny  head  ?  " 

"  A  light  felt  hat." 

"  How  I  shall  look  in  that  I  " 

"Well,  you  must  have  it,  as  your  cap  would 
not  protect  your  eyes  from  the  sun.  When 
in  Syria,  you  must  Avind  several  folds  of  mus- 
lin around  the  hat,  to  keep  the  heat  from  the 
head." 

"  It  must  be  terrible  hot  to  need  such  precau- 
tions against  it." 

"  No,  it  is  the  burning  sun,  and  not  the  inten- 
sity  of  the  heat  against  which  you  must  guard." 

"  How  high  does  the  thermometer  go  in 
Syria  ?  " 

"  I  can  only  tell  you  what  Dr.  Robinson 
says." 

"  What  is  that  ?  " 

"  Speaking  of  his  sojourn  in  Jerusalem,  ht; 
says,  that  from  A  jiril  14  to  May  6,  the  thermom- 
eter ranged  at  sunrise  from  44°  to  64°,  and  at 
two  p.  M.  from  (>0°  to  79°.  This  last  dejrree 
of  heat  was  felt  during  a  sirocco,  April  30. 
From  the  10th  to  the  13th  of  June,  at  Jeru- 
salem, we  had  at.  sunrise  a  range  of  iVom  5'6°  to 
74°,  and,  at  two  p.  m.,  once  86°,  with  a  strong 
north-west  wind  ;  yet  the  air  was  fine  and  the 
heat  not  burdensome.  The  ninhts  are  uniformlv 
cool,  often  with  a  heavy  dew." 

"  Oh,  that  is  not  verv  hot." 


20  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  No,  we  sliould  not  think  it  was  in  tins  coun 
try. 

"  Perhaps  Robinson  was  there  in  a  cold  tinve, 
and  we  shall  find  it  much  hotter  at  the  same 
seasons." 

"  I  think  not,  for  Schubert  gives  the  average 
range  during  the  hottest  part  of  summer  at  23° 
to  24^  Reaumur,  or  84°  to  86°  Fahrenheit." 

^  What  do  you  mean  by  Reaumur  and  Fahren- 
heit? "  asked  Harry  St.  Clair,  who  was  present 
during  this  conversation. 

"Can  you  tell  him,  Walter?"  asked  Mr. 
Percy. 

"  No,  Sir ;  except  that  they  were  two  men 
who  invented  different  thermometers." 

"  That  is  so." 

"  In  what  did  the  thermometers  differ  ?  " 
asked  the  two  boys  at  once. 

"  Why,  Reaumur  was  a  French  philosopher, 
who  invented  a  thermometer  which  bears  his 
name,  and  is  used  mostly  in  France.  Taking  as 
the  extremes,  freezinn;  and  boilino;,  he  divided 
the  interval  into  eighty  degrees,  or  eighty  equrd 
parts.  Fahrenheit  was  a  German,  who  made  the 
thermometer  we  use,  and  which  differs  from  the 
other  in  the  scale  into  which  it  is  divided,  and 
also  in  several  other  particulars." 

"  I  will  remember  that,  Mr.  Perc}^,"  said 
Harr^^       "  When    I    have    travelled    with    yoo 


MAKIXG   AKKANGEilHNTS.  21 

a  vear,  I  shall  knuw  as  much  as  Walter  does. 
My  father  never  exj)lains  anything  to  me." 

''Shall  we  carry  arms?"  asked  Walter. 

"  We  carry  arms !  "  exclaimed  Minnie  with  a 
smile. 

"Yes,  wg.'    Why  not?" 

"  Because  you  would  not  be  able  to  fire  off 
anything." 

"  The  gentlemen  of  the  party  will  carry 
revolvers  perhaps,"  said  Mr.  Percy ;  "  but  you 
two  boys  will  need  nothing  of  the  kind." 

"  Let  me  carry  a  j)istol  without  powder,"  said 
Walter. 

"  Yes,"  added  Hai'ry,  "  that  will  make  us 
look  as  if  we  were  armed." 

"  We  can  see  about  that  when  the  time  comes." 

In  many  a  conversation  like  this  were  the 
evenings  spent  prei)aratory  to  the  time  of  sailing. 
Walti'r  and  Minnie  read  several  larfje  works  on 
Palestine,  and  obtained  much  valuable  informa- 
tion about  the  lands  they  were  to  visit.  A  new 
trunk  was  bought  for  each  of  them,  the  pass])ort3 
were  obtained,  and  tlie  tickets  for  the  steamer 
were  purchased.  Mr.  Percy  allowed  the  chil- 
dren to  do  all  the  business,  and  make  all  the 
arrangements,  his  plan  heinir  to  oive  Walter 
practical  instruction  in  business  life,  and  prepare 
him  somewhat  for  the  position  in  which  he  would 
be  placed  in  after-years. 


22  WAl.TKK    IN   EGYPT. 

iMinnie  went  into  Boston,  and  had  a  long  con- 
versation with  a  ladj  who  awhile  before  had 
made  a  Syrian  tour,  and  derived  from  her  many 
useful  hints,  and  much  profitable  knowledge. 
It  had  already  been  arranged  that  she  should 
accompany  the  party  only  through  a  part  of  the 
tour,  but  she  hoped  to  persuade  her  father  tha'c 
she  could  endure  the  fatigue  of  the  whole  ex- 
cursion. 

Harry  St.  Clair  was  wild  with  joy.     He  kept 
talking  about  the  East  all  day  long.     At  night  he 
sat  up  long  after  all  the  members  of  the  family 
were  asleep,  reading  taseful  books  on  Syria  and 
E2:yi)t,  and  plagued  his  father  every  time  he  en- 
tered the  house,  by  asking  questions  about  places, 
of  which  the  old  gentleman,  who  was  far  more 
given  to  mone3^-making  than  to  literary  pursuits, 
knew  nothing.     A  brace  of  revolvers  were  pre- 
sented to  him  by  a  friend,  and  he  became  quite 
expert  in  target-shooting,  and  when  his  mother,  a 
poor,  nervous  woman,  would  rem.onstrate  against 
the  use  of  such  weapons,  he  would  tell  her  he  had 
east  fifty  bullets  to  carry  with  him,  and  each  one 
of  them  was  sood  for  an  Arab.    So  far  did  the  rash, 
thoughtless  boy  work  upon  her  fears,  that  the  poor 
woman  began  to  think  she  should  never  see  her 
son  again  :  while  his  father  only  laughed  at  him, 
and  declared  that   he   would   trust  Harry   any- 
where.    He  was  like  many  other  parents   who 


MAKING   ARRANGEMENTS.  23 

think  they  can  trust  their  children  anywliere,  and 
with  this  false  conviction,  give  them  up  to  be 
spoiled  by  the  temptations  of  the  world.  God 
never  desioned  a  man  to  walk  without  His  o-uid- 
ance,  nor  a  child  to  go  alone  without  parental 
advice  and  care.  Mr.  Percy  and  his  neighbor 
Mr.  St.  Clair  represeiit  two  classes  of  parents, 
often  found,  who  have  very  different  ideas  of  what 
thev  owe  to  their  children. 


24  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  II. 

WHAT    WE    SAW    IN    GOING    OVER. 

It  was  on  the  third  day  of  April  that  the  party 
started  from  Boston.  The  snow  was  deep  upon 
the  earth ;  it  hung  from  the  branches  of  the  trees, 
festooned  the  houses,  wreathed  the  ghttering  sign- 
boards,  metamorphosed  the  pubHc  buildings,  or- 
namented the  telegraphic  wires,  the  tall  chim- 
neys, and  the  tapering  steeples,  and  lent  an  inde- 
scribable charm  to  every  object  on  which  the  eye 
rested. 

The  steamship  Canada  was  anchored  about  a 
mile  from  the  landing,  and  a  little  tug  took  tlie 
passengers  out  to  her.  It  was  a  great  relief  to 
the  ladies  of  the  party  when  they  reached  the 
side  of  the  Canada.  The  tug  rolled  so  fearfully 
that  they  were  already  quite  sea-sick,  and  were 
very  glad  to  step  on  the  firm  deck  of  the  mighty 
vessel  which  was  to  bear  tliem  across  the  ocean. 

Mrs.  Percy  and  Minnie  at  once  went  to  their 
state-rooms,  but  the  boys  remained  on  deck  until 
they  became  chilled  with  cold,  gazing  on  tlie  city 
which  became  (^very  moment  more  indistinct  in 


WHAT    WE   SAW    IN   GOING   OVER.  25 

the  distance.  When  the  last  glimpse  of  the  State 
House  and  the  tall  monument  had  been  ob- 
tained, they  both  went  into  the  saloon,  where 
many  of  the  passengers  were  congregated. 

"  I  begin  to  feel  it,"  said  Harry,  after  they 
had  been  seated  on  the  divan  for  a  few  minutes. 

"  Feel  what  ?  "  inquired  Walter. 

■'  Oh,  I  don't  know ;  sea-sickness,  I  suppose." 

"  Then  you  had  better  go  into  your  state- 
room." 

Harry  rose  to  go,  but  was  so  faint  and  dizzy 
that  he  could  hardly  stand,  and  Mr.  Tenant 
coming  along  at  the  moment,  helped  him  to  his 
berth,  where  he  was  sick  until  the  steamer 
reached  Halifax,  which  was  about  sunrise  on 
Friday  morning. 

When  land  a])peared,  sea-sickness  vanished, 
and  the  children  were  all  eager  for  a  run  on  the 
shore,  and  as  soon  as  the  vessel  reached  the  pier, 
they  sprang  out,  and  in  two  hours  had  explored 
the  whole  place.  Even  Minnie  climbed  the  high 
hill  on  which  the  fortificaticMi  is  built,  and  Mrs. 
Percy  moved  so  nimbly  that  her  husband  was 
out  of  breath.  But  the  two  hours  for  which 
they  had  permission  to  leave  the  ship  were  quick 
ly  exhausted,  and  they  returned,  and  were  sooi' 
Bteaming  away  from  Halifax. 

The  voyage  proved  a  long  and  tedious  one, 
but  the  travellers  managed  to  enjoy  it.      Minnie 


26  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

was  one  of  the  most  lively  of  the  company,  and 
was  an  immense  favorite.  Harry  was  rather 
disliked  by  the  passengers  until  they  became  ac- 
quainted with  him,  and  found  out  how  noble  a  soul 
he  had  concealed  beneath  his  somewhat  rough 
and  neglected  manners.  Mrs.  Percy,  by  her 
quiet  dignity  and  kindness,  won  the  affections  of 
all,  while  Walter  was  treated  as  a  man,  so  supe- 
rior did  he  seem  to  boys  of  his  age. 

One  evening  the  whole  party  were  together  in 
the  saloon,  conversing  gayly  on  what  they  ex- 
pected to  see,  when  Mr.  Percy  said, — 

"  Walter,  you  are  now  old  enough  to  appre- 
ciate the  tour  you  are  taking." 

"  Yes,  Sir ;  I  am  now  fourteen  years  of  age." 

"  How  old  are  you,  Harry  ?  " 

"  Nearly  fifteen,  Sir." 

"And  Minnie  is  twelve." 

"  Yes,  Pa,  and  as  lively  as  Walter  and  Harry 
together,"  answered  the  little  girl. 

"  Lively  enough,  certainly,  but  not  always  as 
thoughtful  as  you  might  be." 

"  Well,  Pa,  I  shall  be  as  thoughtful  as  Walter, 
when  I  arrive  at  his  age." 

"You  may  be  as  wild  as  I  am,"  replied 
Harry. 

"  I  leave  you,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "  very  much 
to  your  own  resources,  anxious  that  in  early 
life   you   may  learn    its   lessons    of  experience. 


WHAT   WE  SAW   IX   GOING   OVER.  27 

You  cannot  begin  to  observe  men  and  tilings  too 
early.  There  is  no  study  of  books  that  will 
con.pensate  for  the  want  of  kno\vledo;e  of  life  as 
it  is." 

"  I  am  studying  and  thinking  all  the  time," 
said  Harry,  "  and  I  don't  see  why  I  do  not  know 
as  much  as  Walter." 

"  Perhaps,"  remarked  Dr.  Forrestall,  who  over- 
heard the  conversation,  "you  do  not  study  in 
the  right  direction.  The  difference  between  you, 
Harry,  and  Walter,  is,  that  what  he  knows  is 
systematized  and  well  arranged  in  his  mind, 
while  you  have  learned  without  system.  Some 
one  has  said  that  it  is  not  the  quantity,  but  the 
quality  of  knowledge  which  determines  the  mind's 
dignity." 

"  I  think  that  is  so,  for  I  have  observed  that 
Walter  can  say  just  what  he  wants  to,  and  at 
just  the  right  time,  while  I  have  to  stop  and 
think,  and  adjust  my  thoughts." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I  think,"  said  Minnie. 

"  What,  Minnie  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Why,  Walter's  head  is  just  like  the  post- 
office." 

"  Just  like  the  post-office  ?  " 

"Yes." 

The  gentlemen  laughed, 

"  How  is  my  head  like  the  post-office  ?"  asked 
Walter. 


28  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"  Yes,  tell  us  how  !  "  exclaimed  Harry. 

"  In  the  post-office  are  boxes  for  letters. 
Those  directed  to  persons  whose  names  begin 
with  A  are  put  in  one  box.  Tliose  that  begin 
witli  B  liave  another  box,  and  so  on  to  the  end 
of  the  al])habet." 

"  What  has  that  to  do  with  Walter's  head  ?  " 

"  Just  this.     Walter's  head  is  " — 

"  Oh,  nonsense,  Min  !  Stop,  and  let  oldei 
people  talk,"  said  Walter. 

"  No ;  go  on,  Minnie,  we  want  to  hear,"  said 
Mr.  Dunnallan,  who  sat  by. 

"  Walter's  head  is  all  divided  up  into  little  cub- 
by-holes, and  when  he  gets  an  idea  he  puts  it  into 
one  of  them,  and  there  it  lies  until  he  wants  it, 
and  when  the  time  comes  he  can  take  it  down 
and  use  it." 

"  What  is  your  head  like,  Min  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  I  do." 

"  What  ?  " 

"  Why,  like  the  top-drawer  of  Uncle  Win- 
throp's  old  bureau." 

"  Hum." 

''  Hum  or  not,  it  is  true." 

"What  drawer  is  that,  Walter?"  asketi 
Harry. 

"  The  top-drawer  of  Uncle  Winthrop's  old 
bureau  is  called  the"  — 


WHAl   WE  SAW  IN  GOING  OVER.  29 

"  Ball !  "  exclaimed  Minnie. 

"Is  called  the  'rummage  drawer,'  and  you  can 
find  anything  there,  but  nothing  is  in  order,  and 
lots  of  things  are  piled  in  j)romiscuously  to- 
gether." 

A  hearty  laugh  greeted  this  description  of 
Minnie's  head,  who  retorted  by  saying  that  she 
would  rather  her  head  should  be  like  a  "rum- 
mage drawer"  than  like  a  bureau  full  of  empty 
pigeon-holes.  This  conversation  led  to  the  im- 
portance of  studying  and  observing  systemati- 
cally, and  the  children  derived  many  valuable 
hints  from  their  older  friends. 

The  voyage  was  long,  but  the  time  was  occu- 
pied by  pleasant  reading,  profitable  conversations 
in  the  saloon,  games  on  deck,  and  in  various  other 
ways.  Harry  became  acquainted  with  every  of- 
ficer and  seaman,  with  all  the  stewards  and  cooks, 
and  became  familiar  with  the  manasement  of  the 
ship,  asking  questions  of  everybody  he  met ;  and 
the  boy,  whose  inquisitiveness  was  deemed  im- 
pertinent when  he  first  came  aboard,  became  tlie 
object  of  much  interest,  every  one  perceiving  his 
desire  to  learn. 

After  being  out  twelve  days  the  steamer  reach- 
ed Queenstown,  where  the  mail-bags  were  dis- 
charged, and  a  few  passengers  put  ashore,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  thirteenth  day,  Liverpool  waa 
seen. 


30  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

It  was  no  part  of  the  plan  of  the  party  to  ve 
main  in  Europe,  and  a  delay  was  made  in  Liver 
pool  only  long  enough  for  the  gentlemen  to  ar- 
range their  money  matters,  secure  letters  of  credit, 
and  attend  to  the  necessary  business.  Mrs,  Percv 
and  Minnie  spent  the  time  at  the  Adelphi,  while 
Harry  St.  Clair  took  a  hansom,  and  drove  about 
the  city  with  Waltei-,  whose  former  visit  to  Liv- 
erpool was  fresh  in  his  mind,  as  a  valet-de-place. 
The  two  boys  visited  the  Docks,  St.  George's 
Hall,  the  Brown  Institute,  and  many  other 
places,  and  came  near  delaying  the  party  over 
a  train,  by  being  gone  so  long. 

It  was  near  midnight  when  they  arrived  at 
London,  but  the  streets  were  full  of  people  ;  car- 
riages were  driving  to  and  froj  the  thousand  gas- 
lights made  the  city  seem  almost  like  daylight, 
and  poor  Harry  was  almost  bewildered  by  what 
he  saw,  and  almost  crazy  with  excitement.  Wal- 
ter pointed  out  to  him  the  prominent  objects  as 
they  drove  rapidly  by,  and  soon  they  were  at  the 
hotel  where  they  were  to  spend  the  night.  They 
were  all  so  tired  that  they  were  not  disposed  to 
question  much  as  to  the  character  of  the  apart- 
ments, and  tlie  only  one  who  seemed  to  have  a 
choice,  was  Walter. 

"  Give  me  the  room  I  had  two  years  airo,"  said 
he. 

"  I  do  not  know  which  that  was,"  answered 
the  servant. 


WHAT   WE  SAW  IN   GOING  OVER.  31 

'*  It  was  Number  128,  and  every  morning 
when  I  awoke  I  could  look  out  upon  the  dome  of 
St.  Paul's." 

"  Ah,  I  know  ;  you  can  have  it." 

So  they  went  to  bed. 

The  next  morning  while  the  gentlemen  were 
attending  to  some  necessary  business,  getting  their 
passports  vised^  and  making  some  purcliases,  Wal- 
ter took  Harry  up  to  the  top  of  the  dome  of  the 
cathedral,  and  pointed  out  to  him  the  churches, 
monuments,  houses  of  parliament,  markets,  tower, 
and  all  the  objects  of  interest  in  view.  Harry, 
who  had  been  to  the  top  of  tiie  dome  of  the  State 
House  in  Boston,  manv  times,  and  who  was  verv 
fond  of  going  up  into  the  tower  at  Mount  Au- 
burn, was  charmed  with  the  view,  and  Walter 
had  hard  work  to  get  him  down.  They  climbed 
into  the  ball,  and  amused  themselves  two  hours, 
and  then  with  weary  feet  came  down. 

Just  at  night  they  took  cars  for  Dover,  and 
went  on  board  the  little  steamer  that  was  to  con- 
vey them  across  the  channel.  The  boys  were 
wide  awake,  and  as  they  left  the  dusky  cliffs  of 
Dover  behind,  imitated  the  example  of  the  men, 
and  stowed  themselves  away  on  lounges,  to  bf 
ready  for  sea-sickness,  which  is  seldom  escaped  in 
this  ugly  passage.  The  steamer  went  hopping, 
skipping,  and  wriggling  about,  and  each  one  btga.i 
to  fe*^l  the  effects.     Harry  and  Walter,  who  woi  ^ 


82  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

lying  near  each  other,  \vere  very  sober,  until  the 
steward  came  in  with  a  large  number  of  white 
bowls,  and  running  nimbly  about,  put  one  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  face  of  each  passenger.  The 
scene  was  so  ludicrous  that  the  two  boys  began 
to  laugh  so  heartily  that  it  drove  away  all  the 
feelings  of  sea-sickness  they  had  experienced. 

Just  before  reaching  the  French  shore,  the 
bar-tender  glided  in,  and  laying  his  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  one  half  awake  and  half  asleep  pas- 
senger, whispered,  — 

"•  Remember  the  steward,  Sir." 

"  Ay,  ay,  I'll  remember  you,"  and  shoving 
off  the  hand,  turned  away  from  the  beggar. 

"  A  present  for  the  servant,  Sir,"  he  whisper- 
ed to  a  second. 

"  Go  'long,  what  are  you  waking  me  up  for  ?  " 
was  the  angry  reply. 

"  Sometliing  for  steward's  service,"  was  the 
whisper  to  another. 

"  A'n't  had  no  service  —  be  off." 

Thus  from  one  to  another  he  went,  in  piteous 
accents  begging  a  pittance  from  such  as  were 
willing  to  give.  The  constant  demand  for  ser- 
vants' fees  in  Europe  is  very  annoying  to  an 
American  who  expects  no  such  demand  at  home. 

We  skip   over  the  annoyance  at  the  French 

custom-house,  the  ride  to  Paris,  the  day  spent  in 

\  that  beautiful  metropolis,  filled  up  with  visits  to 


V 


WHAT   WE   SAW   IN    GOING   OVER.  33 

the  Louvre,  Tuileries,  Pere-la-Chaise,  and  Notre 
Dame ;  walks  along  the  Champs  Elysees,  and 
Place  de  la  Concorde ;  views  from  the  Arch  of 
Triumph  and  Column  Vendome,  and  rides  along 
the  Boulevards.  All  that  will  be  found  in  the 
account  of  Walter's  first  tour  in  Europe,  when 
he  spent  some  weeks  in  this  lovely  yet  dissipated 
city. 

An  amusino;  account  of  the  ride  down  to 
Marseilles,  was  given  by  Harry  St.  Clair,  in  a 
letter  to  Tom  Fellows,  one  of  his  young  asso- 
ciates.    We  give  only  an  extract :  — 

"  Well,  Tom,  I  have  told  you  how  we  got  to 
Paris  ;  now  let  me  tell  how  we  got  away.  The 
French  cars  have  two  seats  facing  each  other, 
like  a  hackney  coach.  In  the  middle  of  the  car, 
over  each  seat,  is  a  sort  of  pad,  against  which 
the  traveller  may  rest  his  head  and  sleep.  As 
we  could  not  all  set  into  one  car,  Mr.  Tenant 
and  I  took  one  separate  fi'om  the  rest  of  the 
party,  in  which  the  only  other  passenger  was  an 
English  officer  on  his  way  to  India.  Mr.  Tenant 
and  the  officer  took  the  back  seat,  and  I  took  the 
front  one,  with  my  back  to  the  horses  —  only 
you  know  we  had  a  locomotive  instead  of 
horses.  Unable  to  sleep,  I  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  watch  the  two  men,  who,  leaning  their 
heads  against   the  same  pad,  one  on  each  side. 


34  Walter  in  egypt. 

were  soon  sound  asleep.  Their  heads  tunied 
and  bobbed,  now  came  close  together  as  if  a 
contact  was  inevitable,  and  then  rolled  apart. 
Now  the  long,  red,  fiery  whiskers  ot"  the  Eng- 
lishman would  meet  the  neat,  trim  beard  of  Mr. 
Tenant,  and  the  huge  brandy-burnt  proboscis  of 
the  soldier  would  almost  touch  the  graceful  nose 
on  the  other  side.  Now  the  lips  would  almost 
meet,  and  if  one  party  had  been  a  lady,  no 
knowing  what  would  have  happened ;  and  then 
the  two  mouths  wide  open,  would  approach,  and 
the  men  would  seem  to  be  preparing  to  swallow 
each  other ;  and  anon  the  two  heads  would  come 
together  with  a  bounce,  and  the  two  men  would 
start  up  and  look  at  each  other  savagely,  as  if 
about,  each  one,  to  ask,  '  What  did  you  thump 
my  face  for?'  I  thought,  Tom,  that,  if  every- 
body looks  and  acts  so  ridiculously  when  they 
are  asleep,  it  is  a  great  mercy  on  the  part  of 
Providence  to  ordain  that  men  should  sleep 
when  it  is  dark. 

"  We  arrived  at  Marseilles  after  a  ride  of 
twenty  hours,  and  went  to  a  magnificent  hotel. 
It  was  almost  supper-time,  and  Mrs.  Percy 
and  Min  decided  to  take  refreshments  in  their 
room.  When  we  were  about  oi'dering  our  sup- 
per, Mr.  Percy  suggested  that  as  we  were  to 
have  no  ladies  at  the  table,  we  begin  to  econ- 
omize.     Tom,  don't  vou  think  it  a  humbug  fn» 


WHAT   WE  SAW   IN   GOING  OVER.  35 

rich  old  fogies  like  Mr.  Percy  to  talk  about 
economy  ?  I  hoped  they  would  laugh  at  him  ; 
but  Mr.  Dunnallan  at  once  took  up  with  the 
idea,  and  then  Dr.  Forrestall  joined  in,  and  the 
whole  party  decided  to  economize.  Now,  Tom, 
how  do  you  suj)pose  they  did  it?  Why,  Mr. 
Tenant  just  went  and  ordered  a  special  supper 
for  ourselves,  declining  in  behalf  of  the  party  to 
go  to  the  table  d'hote,  which  is  the  common 
table.  Five  francs  was  the  table  charge,  and 
ours  was  to  be  furnished  for  four.  So  we  waited 
and  waited,  grew  faint,  hungry,  and  savage,  and 
were  at  length  called  to  supper.  As  we  entered 
the  dining-hall,  we  saw  the  table  filled  with 
elegantly  dressed  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  were 
about  to  take  our  seats  with  them,  but  the  ser 
vant  beckoned  us  to  the  foot,  away  fi'om  th- 
rest,  and  seated  us  around  a  candle  which 
burned  upon  a  clothless  table.  He  then  set 
before  us  a  dish  of  small  potatoes,  no  one  of 
which  was  larger  than  a  walnut,  and  a  bit  of 
beef  which  was  tough  and  poorly  cooked.  Of 
the  potatoes,  there  were  two  for  each  of  us ; 
bread  was  an  extra  charjre.  We  cast  lono-ino 
glances  at  the  other  end  of  the  table,  and  the 
gay  company  beneath  the  brilliant  chandelier ; 
Walter  pinched  me  under  the  table  in  a  most 
unmerciful  way,  and  I  began  to  laugh  ;  Mr. 
Butterworth  tried  to  swallow  the  beef,  but  gave 


86  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

up  in  despair ;  Mr.  Allston,  the  young  minister, 
who  sat  at  one  end  of  our  circle,  or  half  circle, 
as  we  sat  around  the  end  of  the  table,  looked 
wishfully  at  the  plate  of  potatoes  as  its  contents 
diminished  ;  and  at  length,  not  half  satisfied,  we 
got  up  and  slunk  away  from  the  table,  feeling 
that  we  had  practised  very  poor  economy.  I 
guess  you  will  never  hear  Mr.  Percy  recom- 
mend economy  again.  We  have  all  joked  him 
so  about  this  experiment  that  I  think  he  will 
never  want  to  hear  the  word  economy  again. 
So  you  see,  Tom,  how  we  are  getting  along.  I 
am  enjoying  more  than  I  ever  thought  I  could 
enjoy.  Walter  sends  his  love  to  you  and  so 
does  Minnie." 

From  this  extract  of  Harry's  letter,  it  will  be 
seen  what  objects  made  an  impression  on  his 
mind.  Walter's  letters  were  quite  different  from 
this,  and  indicated  a  much  superior  cast  of  intel- 
lect, though  under  the  judicious  care  of  Mr. 
Percy,  Harry  was  improving  every  day. 


VIALTA  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  37 


CFIAPTER  III. 

MALTA    AND    THE     MEDITERRANEAN. 

**  Where  are  you  going  now  ?  "  asked  Walter 
of  his  father,  as  on  the  evening  of  the  day  of 
their  arrival  at  Marseilles  the  gentlemen  pre- 
pared to  go  out. 

"  To  the  steamer  office,  to  secure  our  ticketa 
for  Alexandria." 

"  Shall  we  go  with  you  ?  " 

"  You  can  go  with  us,  or  with  your  mother 
and  sister,  who  are  going  out  for  a  ride  about  the 
city." 

"  I  wish  to  go  with  you — Avliat  say,  Harry  ?  " 

"  Yes,  let  us  go  to  the  steamer." 

That  being  arranged,  the  party  sallied  forth, 
and  on  reaching  the  office  found  that  no  plan  of 
the  cabin  could  be  seen,  and  they  must  go  on 
board  to  find  out  what  arrangements  could  be 
made.  Taking  a  little  boat,  they  were  rowed 
out  to  the  Vectis,  a  steamer  that  was  to  start  the 
next  morning  for  Egypt. 

"  What  is  the  fare?"  asked  Mr.  Tenant  of 
the  purser. 


38  WALTER   IN  EGYPT. 

"  To  Alexandria  is  ^£20." 

"  Enormous." 

"  It  is  not  considered  so." 

"  What  is  the  second  cabin  fare  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  second  cabin,  except  for  serv 
ants." 

"  What  is  the  fare  there  ?  " 

"ItisXlO." 

"  Wliat  say,  friend  Percy  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Ten- 
ant. 

"  Why,"  replied  that  gentleman,  "  the  ladies 
must  go  in  the  first  cabin.  The  boys  can  go  in 
the  second  cabin  if  they  please,  and  what  they 
save  I  will  add  to  their  pocket-money." 

"  Our  voyage,"  said  Mr.  Butterworth,  "  will 
be  only  six  or  seven  days,  and  we  shall  save 
eight  or  ten  dollars  per  diem  by  taking  the 
second  cabin." 

"  I  shall  go  in  that,"  said  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  So  shall  I,"  added  each  one  except  Mr. 
Percy,  who  concluded  to  accompany  his  wife 
and  daughter  to  the  first  cabin. 

The  next  morning  they  were  on  board  early, 
and  on  repairing  to  their  quarters,  found  nothing 
to  please  them  much.  Their  berths  were  in  the 
bows  of  the  vessel,  the  room  dimly  lighted,  and 
everything  repulsive  and  unpleasant.  Still  they 
concluded  to  try  it,  and  putting  their  luggage 
away,  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as  thej 


MALTA  AND   THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  £9 

could.  Towards  night,  a  terrific  storm  came  on, 
which  continued  to  increase  with  the  darkness. 
Suddenly  the  whole  party  were  aroused  by  the 
dash  of  water  into  the  cabin.  Dr.  Forrestall 
sprang  from  his  berth,  and  found  the  floor  cov- 
ered to  a  depth  of  several  inches.  There  was 
a  momentary  panic,  but  it  was  soon  found  that 
the  door  of  the  companion-way  had  been  left 
open,  and  the  water  that  dashed  over  the  bows 
of  the  vessel  was  rollino;  down  in  torrents.  The 
doctor  at  once  set  himself  about  mending  the 
evil,  and  climbing  up  to  the  door,  braced  him- 
self against  it,  closed  it,  but  could  not  fasten  it. 
There  he  was  deluged  with  water,  calling  for 
help. 

'*  Steward,    come    and    shut    this    door,"    he 
cried. 

No  response. 

"  Carpenter,  come  and  shut  this  door !  " 

No  response. 

"  We  are  all  drowning  I     Why  don't  you  shut 
this  door?" 

No  answer. 

'*  Sailors,  ahoy.     Come,  shut  this  door." 

Here  Walter  and   Harry  began  to  laugh   iin 
moderately. 

"  I  Hay,  you  there  !  " 

Louder  laughter. 

*'  Whose  business  is  it  to  shut  this  door  ?  " 


10  WALTER  ra   EGYPT. 

•'  You  have  made  it  yours,  doctor,"  cried  one, 

"  Keep  hold  of  it,"  cried  another. 

"Won't  —  an  J  —  of  you  —  come  and  help^ 
oh,  dear  —  help  me  shut  this  door?" 

Some  sailors  now  made  their  appearance,  and 
relieved  the  excellent  man  from  his  perilous  post. 
He  came  down  shaking  the  water  from  his  per- 
son, and  exclaiming, — 

"  Harry,  I  have  a  good  mind  to  whip  you." 

"What  for?" 

"  For  laughino;  at  me." 

*'  O  Doctor,  I  didn't  mean  anything,  but  it 
was  so  funny, ''^  and  the  boy  shouted  again. 

Just  then  Mr.  Allston  came  limping  along, 
saying,— 

"  Is  there  a  spare  berth  ?  Mine  has  broken 
down  and  let  me  into  the  water." 

While  a  berth  was  being  found  for  him,  a 
frightened  Frenchman  began  to  yell  at  the  top 
of  his  voice, — 

'''' G-ar^on!     Gargon!     Gargon!''^ 

"  W'hat  does  he  want?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  He  is  calling  a  servant,"  replied  Walter. 

Soon  the  servant  came,  and  the  Frenchman 
cried  out  to  him.  The  servant,  who  was  some- 
what angry  at  being  aroused,  asked  in  badly 
pronounced  French, — 

"  Que  souliaitez  vons  ?  "  —  ( What  do  you 
want  ? ) 


V 


MALTA   AND   THE   MEDITERRANEAN".  4i 

*'  Be  quoi  s'agit  il  Id  I"'  —  (  What  is  the  mat- 
ter there?) 

"  Restez  tranqidlle.''^  —  (Be  quiet.) 

"  Wliat  stufF,  Walter,  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  steward  asks  the  Frenchman  what  ha 
wants,  and  the  Frenchman,  who  is  frightened, 
inquires  what  the  matter  is  up  there  about  tlie 
door." 

"  What  does  the  steward  tell  him  ?  " 

"  To  be  quiet." 

"  Oh,  dear,  I  wish  I  understood  French  I " 

"  You  can  easily  learn." 

"  Will  you  teach  me  ?  " 

"All  I  can,  but  I  do  not  speak  it  very  well, 
though  I  have  studied  it  four  years." 

"  Boys,  boys  !  "  cried  Mr.  Tenant. 

"What  say,  sir?" 

"  Go  to  sleep  —  suspend  conversation.  Things 
are  getting  quiet." 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

About  sunrise  the  next  morning,  which  was 
Sunday,  Dr.  Forrestall,  who  had  gone  on  deck 
early,  rushed  into  the  cabin,  crying,  — 

"  Get  up,  get  up,  we  are  passing  between  the 
islands  of  Corsica  and  Sardinia,  and  the  house  of 
Garibaldi  is  plainly  in  view." 

All  rushed  on  deck,  and  found  land  on  both 
Bides,  and  away  on  the  island  of  Sardinia,  as  if 
set  in  the  very  rocks,  the  cottage  of  the  ItuliaD 


V2  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

patriot.  After  breakfast,  it  was  found  that  the 
lecond  cabin  was  so  uncomfortable  that  a  removal 
was  rendered  necessary,  and  on  Mr.  Tenant's 
application  to  the  purser,  the  party  moved  into 
mure  comfortable  quarters. 

"•  So  ends  our  second  effort  to  economize,"  said 
Harry,  as  he  dragged  his  luggage  into  the  ample 
state-room  provided  for  him  in  the  first  cabin. 
In  their  new  quarters  they  fared  much  better 
than  before,  and  none  of  them  regretted  the 
change. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  the  boys  awoke  early 
by  the  firing  of  a  gun  over  their  heads  on  deck, 
and  various  unusual  noises  among  the  crew  anc* 
passengers. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  it  is,  Walter?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  As  soon  as  I  can  get  my  clothes  on  I  will 


see." 


"  Here  comes  father  1    Pa,  what  is  the  matter  ?" 

"  Nothing,  my  son." 
\    "  What  is  the  noise  about  ?  " 

"  We  have  arrived  at  Malta." 

«  Ah,  ha." 

"  Yes,  get  ready  to  go  ashore.  Minnie  is  all 
prepared,  and  we  shall  soon  be  off.  We  stay 
here  several  hours." 

"  I'll  be  on  hand." 


MALTA  AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  43 

»'  So  will  I,"  shouted  Harry. 

Soon  the  two  boys  joined  the  rest  of  the  partj 
on  deck,  and  they  entered  a  small  boat  and  were 
rowed  to  the  shore.  Mrs.  Percy  remained  in  the 
steamer,  but  Minnie  persisted  in  going  ashore. 
The  harbor  of  Malta  was  very  rough,  and  once 
or  twice  the  little  girl  gave  a  slight  scream,  as 
the  boat  careened  to  the  gunwales  in  the  briny 
spray.  As  they  neared  the  landing,  however, 
the  water  was  smoother,  and  the  children  plied 
their  older  friends  with  questions  about  the  isl- 
and. 

"  How  large  is  this  island  ?  "  asked  Walter  of 
Dr.  Forrestall,  who  was  sitting  beside  him. 

"  It  has  an  area  of  about  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teen square  miles  ;  is  oval  in  shape,  sixteen  miles 
long  and  nine  miles  wide." 

"  And  how  much  population  ?  " 

"  Malta  proper  has  about  one  hundred  thou- 
sand inhabitants." 

"  Malta  i^i'opar?    Why  do  you  say  that?  " 

*'  Because  there  is  a  group  of  islands.  Be- 
sides Malta  there  are  Gozo,  Comino,  Corminetto, 
and  Filfla,  and  together  they  have  one  hundivd 
and  forty-four  thousand  people." 

"  Is  there  more  than  one  township  ?  " 

"  Yes,  we  are  going  into  Valetta,  the  capital 
of  the  group." 

While  Walter  and  Harry  were  getting  all  the 


V 


44  WALTE2  IN  EGYPT. 

infonuation  they  could  out  of  Dr.  Forresiall, 
Minnie  was  as  eagerly  questioning  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  What  do  they  sell  here  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Among  other  things,  lace  is  manufactured 
here  quite  extensively." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  have  heard  of  Malta  lace." 

"  Jewelry  of  a  peculiar  kind  is  also  found  here 
in  abundance,  I  believe." 

Soon  they  touched  the  shore,  and  were  in  the 
midst  of  Maltese  sailors,  women,  dogs,  and  cats. 
As  they  moved  up  the  narrow  streets,  they  saw 
singular  sights  in  every  direction,  and  Minnie 
was  wild  with  interest  and  excitement.  The 
whole  party  stopped  at  a  little  shop  for  breakfast, 
but  few  of  them  were  hungry  enough  to  eat  the 
garlicky  bread  that  was  set  before  them,  though 
an  egg  was  not  open  to  the  same  objection. 
During  breakfast  the  milk  gave  out,  and  the 
keeper  of  the  shop  was  summoned  to  supply  the 
deficiency.  This  he  did  in  a  queer  way.  A 
drove  of  goats  was  passing  in  the  street,  and  he 
hailed  the  goatherd,  who  at  once  began  to  milk 
his  dirty  animals  in  sight  of  the  whole  waiting 
company.  Minnie,  who  had  cried  most  lustily 
for  "  more  milk,"  now  concluded  she  would  take 
her  coffee  without  milk,  though  it  was  thick, 
black,  and  strong  ;  and  Walter,  when  urged  to 
have  mere  milk  for  his  untasted  liquid,  turned 
away  in  disgust. 


V 


MALTA   A\D   THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  45 

After  breakfast  they  walked  about  the  place 
into  the  venerable  Church  of  St.  John,  rich  with 
the  memories  and  effigies  of  the  old  Knights  of 
Malta,  and  possessing  some  elegant  specimens 
of  art.  In  the  Governor's  palace  they  saw  a 
gun,  said  to  be  the  first  made  after  the  inven- 
tion of  gunpowder.  It  was  about  eight  feet 
long,  manufactured  of  sheet  iron,  and  wound 
around  with  rope.  As  they  stood  looking  at 
this  gun,  the  children  had  a  hundred  questions 
to  ask. 

"  Who  invented  fire-arms?"  asked  Walter. 

"  The  Italians,  I  beUeve,"  said  his  father. 

"  How  long  ago  ?  " 

"  About  1430." 

"  When  was  gunpowder  invented?  " 

"It  is  attributed  to  Schwartz,  a  German 
chemist,  in  the  fourteenth  century." 

"  I  thought,"  added  Dr.  Forrestall,  "  that 
RojTcr  Bacon  described  it  in  1270." 

"  He  gives  a  recei})t  for  making  it,"  said  Rev. 
Mr.  Allston. 

"  Does  he  ?    What  is  it  ?  " 

"  He  says, — '  Take  of  saltpetre  with  pounded 
charcoal  and  sulphur,  and  you  will  make  thun- 
jer  and  lightning,  if  you  know  how  to  prepare 
them.'  " 

"  Then,"  remarked  Walter,  "  we  must  set  the 
discovery  of  gunpowder  in  1270." 


4G  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"  1  don't  know,  Walter,"  said  Mr.  Tenant. 
•'  but  yon  will  be  obliged  to  seek  the  origin  of 
gunpowder  farther  back  than  that." 

"  Ah,  how  so  ?  " 

"  Because  Alexander  is  supposed  to  have  re- 
fused to  attack  the  Oxydracae,  a  people  living 
near  the  Ganges,  because  they  shot  thunderbolta 
from  their  walls." 

"  But  this  might  not  have  been  by  gun- 
powder." 

"  No,  but  they  probably  had  some  explosive 
substance." 

Leaving  the  gun  and  the  rest  of  the  objects 
of  interest  in  the  Govex'n/)r's  palace,  the  party 
wandered  about  the  town  several  hours.  Minnie 
bought  some  lace  collars  and  veils,  while  Walter 
invested  some  of  his  pocket  change  in  mosaic 
and  lava  ornaments,  which  he  intended  to  have 
set  in  gold  on  his  return  to  America.  Harry 
said  he  had  no  sisters  to  buy  lace  for,  and  as  to 
jewelry,  he  did  not  care  a  fig  for  it,  and  would 
not  spend  his  money  in  that  way. 

At  noon  the  voyage  again  commenced,  and 
that  afternoon,  as  they  sat  on  the  deck,  the  'Jon- 
versation  turned  upon  the  island  they  had  left 
behind. 

*'  Was  it  not  on  this  island  that  Paul  was 
shipwrecked  ?  "  asked  Walter  of  Mr.  Tenant. 

*'  I  believe  so,"  replied  that  gentleman  ;  "  but 


V 


RIALTA   AND  THE  MEDITERRANEAN.  t7 

here    is    Rector  Allston,  who    can   tell  yo      all 
about  that." 

The  children  all  looked  to  Mr.  Allston. 

*'  What   is  it  you  want  to  know  ? "  said   the 
clergyman. 

"  Was    this    the    island    on   which    Paul   waa 
wrecked  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Don't  know  ?"  queried  Harry.     "  I  thought 
clergymen  knew  all  about  the  Bible." 

"  But  the  Bible  does  not   settle   the  question 
very  definitely." 

"  Well,  tell  us  what  you  think  about  it." 

"  I    think    the   identity    of    this    island    with 
ancient  Melita  somewhat  questionable." 

"Do  you?" 

"  Yes." 

"On  what  grounds  ?  " 

*'  Take  your  maps  and  look." 

"  We  have  got  the  maps." 

"  Now  where  was    Paul  when   the   storm  by 
which  he  was  wrecked,  began." 

"  Near   Crete,"   said    Minnie,  turning  to  the 
account  in  the  Book  of  Acts. 

"  I  do  not  find  '  Crete,'  "  said  Walter. 

"  Look  for  Candia ;   the  island  is  now  called 
by  that  name." 

"  Here  it    is,   forming   the  southern    limit  of 
the  Grecian  Archipelago." 


V 


48  WALTER  m  EGYPT. 

"  Note  the  distance  and  direction  to  Malta, 
and  you  will  see  the  improbability  of  this  being 
the  place  where  the  shipwreck  took  place." 

"  What  other  island  could  it  have  been  ?  " 

"  It  might  have  been  Melida,  near  the  Illj- 
rian  coast." 

"  I  see  it —  here  it  is,  Min." 

*'  Several  eminent  authorities  reject  Malta." 

*'  What  reasons  do  they  give  ?  " 

"  Among  others,  that  the  viper  which  fas- 
tened upon  the  hand  of  Paul,  is  not  a  native  of 
Malta,  but  is  of  Melida ;  that  the  disease  the 
father  of  Publius  had,  is  peculiar  to  Melida,  but 
is  hardly  known  at  Malta ;  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Malta  were  not  barbarous  at  that  time, — 
those  on  the  island  where  Paul  landed  were 
represented  as  being  so,  —  and  several  other  such 
reasons." 

"  What  do  the  Maltese  say  about  it  ?  " 

"  They  say  it  was  the  place,  and  on  the  other 
side  of  the  island  show  a  cave,  in  which  it  is 
said  he  warmed  himself." 

The  evening  of  this  day  was  spent  on  deck, 
in  story- telling,  singing,  and  pleasant  conversa- 
tion ;  but  the  next  morning  a  circumstance 
occurrea  which  came  near  making  the  whole 
companv  very  sad.  After  breakfast,  as  all  were 
on  deck,  wondering  how  they  could  spend  the 
day,  Walter  came  up,  and  said,  — 


MAirA  AND  THE  MEDITERRAJTEAN.  49 

"  Mr.  Allston  is  charged  with  having  a  penny 
that  belongs  to  Mr.  Percy,  and  we  propose  to 
try  him  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean Sea." 

"A  trial,  a  trial!  That  is  right,"  said  sev- 
eral ;  and  all  gathered  round,  while  Walter,  who 
acted  as  prosecuting  officer,  read  the  indictment. 
Mr.  Butterworth  was  judge  ;  Harry  was  counsel 
for  defence  ;  Mr.  Tenant,  Mrs.  Percy,  Minnie, 
and  several  other  ladies  and  gentlemen  were 
jurors ;  while  Mr.  Dunnallan,  Dr.  Furrestall,  and 
Mr.  Damrell  were  summoned  as  witnesses.  The 
trial  went  on  very  regularly  for  a  while.  Walter 
had  the  best  notions  of  law,  but  Harry  showed 
the  most  shrewdness  in  questioning  the  wit- 
nesses ;  and  the  passengers  all  gathered  around 
looking  on  and  enjoying  the  sport.  Minnie  did 
not  make  a  very  good  juror,  as  she  expressed 
her  opinion  freely  at  every  stage  of  the  trial. 
At  length,  Mr.  Dunnallan  was  put  upon  the 
witness  stand.  The  cross-questioning  was  at 
length,  and  he  leaned  for  support  against  a  board 
which  had  been  j)ut  across  the  companion-wav 
to  prevent  the  people  from  stepping  in,  —  the 
stairs  havino;  been  removed.  All  at  once  the 
board  gave  way,  and  the  witness,  tumbling  back- 
wards, was  precipitated,  head  downwards,  into 
the  hold  below.     AH  saw  him  go,  but  all  were 

powerless    to   arrest    his    fall,   and  as  he   iisap- 
4 


50  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

peared  from  view,  the  blood  seemed  to  cuiiJe 
in  every  vein.  Dr.  Forrestall  was  first  to  recover 
from  the  shock,  and  hurrying  to  the  stairway, 
followed  by  Mr.  Percy,  they  found  the  poor 
fellow  at  the  bottom,  doubled  up  and  crushed  in 
a  narrow  passage.  He  was  quite  insensible,  and 
being  a  heavy  man,  the  two  gentlen.en  found  it 
very  difficult  to  lift  him  up  and  bear  him  to  his 
state-room.  When  tliere.  Dr.  Forrestall  at  once 
proceeded  to  an  examination,  and  finding  no 
bones  broken,  began  to  take  means  to  restore 
him  to  consciousness.  The  Doctor  opened  his 
trmik,  and  there  he  found  medicines  of  different 
kinds,  which  his  thouo-htfulness  had  sucfoested, 
and  which  now  were  available.  For  several 
hours  the  poor  suffering  man  remained  in  a 
dreadful  swoon,  and  melancholy  were  the  fore- 
bodings of  the  party,  as  they  sat  by  him.  The 
skill  of  the  physician,  and  the  kind  care  of  Mrs. 
Percy,  were  very  valuable,  and  at  length  reason 
returned,  and  consciousness  dawned  upon  him. 
His  first  question  was,  "  Where  am  I  ?  '* 

"  On  board  the  Vectis." 

"The  Vectis!" 

"  Yes." 

"What  is  the  Vectis." 

"  A  steamer !  Don't  you  know  we  sailed  from 
Marseilles  on  Saturday." 

"  I  don  t  knov< .  " 

"  Try  to  remember." 


MALTA   AND   THE  MEDITERRANEAlf.  61 


5> 


"  Where  are  we  going  ? 

"  To  Egypt  and  Palestine." 

"  Wliat  for  ?  " 

"  On  our  excursion  of  pleasure," 

*'  Is  my  wife  here  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Where  is  she  ?  " 

*'  You  left  her  at  home." 

"Did  I?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Wliat  has  happened  to  me  ?  * 

"  You  have  had  a  fall." 

"A  fall?    Where?" 

"  Down  the  companion-way  of  the  steamer.'* 

"Am  I  hurt?" 

"  No,  only  fainted,  we  hope." 

"  Where  are  we  now  ?  " 

"  Between  Malta  and  Alexandria." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  now ;  we  were  trying  Mr 
Allston." 

"  Yes." 

These  and  similar  questions  he  asked  for  some 
time,  but  soon  recovered  ;  and  when  at  night  a 
httle  company  gathered  in  the  state-room  and 
one  offered  prayer,  every  heart  went  up  in  de- 
vout and  grateful  thanksgiving. 

The  feeling  of  the  whole  company  was  well 
expressed  by  Walter  in  his  Journal,  from  whi:h 
we  take  a  single  paragraph :  — 


62  WALTER   IN   EGYPT. 

"On  Board  the  Vectis,  April  24,  1861. 

"...  I  know  not  as  I  ever  felt  more  sad 
than  when  I  saw  Dr.  Forrestall  and  father  hft- 
ing  Mr.  Dunnallan,  and  bearing  his  apparently 
lifeless  form  to  the  state-room.  I  had  the  saddest 
rush  of  emotions  that  I  ever  experienced.  Was 
he  dead  ?  Should  we  be  obliged  to  burj  this 
dear  friend  in  the  deep  blue  sea  ?  Had  he  come 
so  far  from  his  highland  home,  to  find  a  sep- 
ulcln-e  ?  What  could  we  say  to  his  wife,  and 
how  could  we  meet  his  dear  children  ?  These 
were  the  questions  I  asked  myself  as  every  few 
minutes  I  stole  to  the  door,  and  saw  mother 
bathing  his  white  face,  or  putting  cordials  to  his 
pallid  hps.  Oh,  I  should  die  to  see  my  dear 
father  thus.     But  God  is  merciful !  " 


EXrERlENCE   !>:    ALEXAiXDKIA.  53 


V 


CHAPTER  IV. 

EXPERIENCE    IN    ALEXANDRIA. 


Bano-I    Bang! 


"  Hurrah,  Walter  I  "  was  the  cry  of  Hany. 

Pane; !    Bang;  I 

"  I  know  what  that  means." 

"What,  Walter?" 

"  They  ai'e  firing  for  a  pilot." 

"  Then  we  have  reached  the  Egyptian  coast." 

"  I  suppose  so ;  get  out  your  watch  and  see 
what  time  it  is." 

"  Just  three  o'clock." 

*'  Shall  we  get  up  ?  " 

*'  Yes,  of  course." 

Soon  they  were  on  deck.  As  far  off  as  they 
could  see  in  tlie  haze  of  morning,  was  an  orien- 
tal city,  where  minarets  and  domes  could  just  he 
discerned. 

*' What  is  this?"  asked  Miiniie,  who  found 
liie  boys  pointing  to  a  rec'  sand  or  dust  that 
covered  the  deck,  spars,  and  sails. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Harry. 

"  Nor  J,"  said  Walter.  "  But  here  comes  Mr. 
Darnrell,  he  can  tell  us." 


54  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Tell  joii  what  ?  "  asked  that  gentleman. 

"  What  this  red  sand  is  ?  " 

"  Oh,  this  is  nothing  but  the  desert  dust  that 
is  borne  out  by  the  wind." 

"How  did  it  come  out  here?  We  have  not 
been  through  a  desert." 

"  No,  but  these  showers  of  sand  are  often  car- 
ried by  the  wind  many  miles  out  to  sea." 

"  But  when  did  this  come  ?  " 

"  In  the  nicrht  sometime.  We  have  had  a 
windy  night ;  this  is  its  result.  You  will  see 
more  of  the  sand  before  you  leave  Egypt." 

Bano; !    Bano; ! 

"  Why  don't  the  pilot  come  ? "  asked  the 
boys. 

"  He  is  coming,"  answered  the  gentleman 
who  had  been  conversing  with  them. 

"  Where  do  you  see  him  ?  " 

"  Out  there  two  miles  off." 

"  I  don't  see." 

"  Look  again.  Can  you  not  see  a  little  boat 
with  a  large  sail  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  answered  they  all. 

Soon  the  boat  reached  the  steamer,  and  the 
pilot  leaped  upon  deck  and  ran  up  to  the  pad- 
dle-box like  a  cat. 

"  Mercy,"  said  Minnie,  "  what  a  pilot  I  " 

"  What  of  him  ?  "  asked  her  brother. 

"  He  is  a  negro." 


EXPERIENCE  IN   ALEXANDRIA.  55 

«'  No,  an  Arab." 

"  And  see  his  trousers  and  jacket !  " 

"  He  is  dressed  in  the  costume  of  the  ccsr.tiy. 
Did  you  expect  the  pilot  would  be  dressed  in 
European  costume  ? "' 

*'  Yes  —  no.  But  then  I  did  not  expect  to  see 
him  in  such  a  rio;  as  this," 

"  You  will  get  accustomed  to  the  costume  be- 
fore you  leave  the  land  of  Egypt." 

The  pilot,  who  was  dressed  proudly  for  one 
in  his  station,  displaying  many  ornaments,  and 
wearing  very  showy  colors,  took  the  vessel  by 
several  English  and  French  war  steamers,  and 
brought  her  to  anchor  under  the  walls  of  the 
city.  Soon  the  deck  was  covered  with  the  dusky 
inhabitants  of  the  country.  They  came  out  in 
light  feluccas,  and  swarmed  upon  the  deck. 
Some  were  the  officers  of  customs ;  some  mail- 
carriers,  and  at  once  set  about  taking  out  the 
mails  which  were  in  canvas  bags  and  metal  cases, 
—  all  the  important  documents  being  in  sealed 
cases,  for  protection  against  the  weather.  Some 
were  thieves,  and  went  prowling  about  to  see  wiiat 
they  could  lay  their  hands  on  ;  some  were  beg- 
gars —  poor  jiitiable  objects  ;  and  some  were  gen- 
tlemen, well  dressed,  with  long  j)i]H's  in  their 
moutlis,  strutting  about  as  if  they  owned  the  ves- 
sel, and  were  masters  of  the  passengers  and  crew. 

As  they  stood  looking  from  the  steamer  upon 


56  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

the  city,  an  animated  conversation  took  place  bo 
tween  the  children  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  party. 

"  How  much  of  a  place  is  Alexandria,  Mr. 
Percy  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  It  is  a  considerable  city,"  said  the  gentleman 
addressed.  "  It  is  finely  situated  just  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Nile,  and  has  a  history  well  worth 
your  study." 

"  When  was  it  founded  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  Three  hundred  and  thirty-two  years  before 
Christ.'^ 

"  Before  Christ  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  I  suppose  by  Alexander  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  he  laid  the  foundations,  and  it  soon  be- 
came a  great  city,  vying  with  Rome  in  military 
greatness,  with  Athens  in  literature,  with  Tyre 
in  commercial  importance." 

"  It  is  7iot  as  great  now  as  in  former  years  ?  " 

"  No  ;  time  levelled  its  w^alls,  and  war  slaugh- 
tered its  inhabitants.  It  incurred  the  displeas- 
ure of  Rome,  its  rival,  and  again  and  again  was 
sacked  by  Caracalla,  Aurelian,  and  Diocletian. 
Its  commerce  was  driven  to  other  ports,  its  wealth 
aided  to  build  up  Constantinople,  and  its  power 
faded  before  superior  races.  After  it  had  long 
been  in  a  decayed  state,  it  was  revived  by  Mc 
hammed  Ali,  who  "  — 

"  Who  was  he  ?  ' '  asked  Minnie. 


EXPERIENCE    IN    ALEXANDRIA.  57 

"  He  was  pasha  of  Egypt,  who  died  in  1819." 

•-'  What  was  his  history,  Pa  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you  all  I  can." 

"  So  do." 

"  He  was  a  poor  man  who  commenced  life  hum- 
bly. At  one  time  he  was  a  tobacco-merchant, 
but  entering  the  army,  he  became  the  supreme 
ruler  of  this  whole  country.  He  expelled  the 
French  from  the  land,  exterminated  the  brave, 
warlike  Mamelukes,  built  up  commerce,  ])romo- 
ted  agriculture  and  manufactures,  and  in  many 
ways  improved  the  condition  of  tlie  Egyptians," 

"  I  must  read  his  life." 

"  He  saw  that  Alexandria  was  favorably  loca- 
ted for  commerce,  and  went  to  work  improving 
its  harbor,  and  offering  facilities  for  trade ;  and 
under  him  the  city  revived,  and  is  now  a  place 
of  sixty  thousand  inhabitants." 

Before  our  travellers  left  home,  Walter  prom- 
ised to  write  to  Charlie,  who  had  now  become  a 
stout,  intelligent  boy,  nine  years  old.  As  these 
letters  explain  what  the  boys  saw,  in  their  own 
lano-uao-e,  one  of  them  is  here  given  :  — 

"Dear  Chari.ik,  —  My  last  letter  to  you 
was  closed  on  board  the  Vectis  just  before  wo 
landed.  On  stepping  ashore  at  Alexandria,  we 
met  a  crowd  of  those  donkey-boys,  that  you  re- 
member we  read  about  one  evening  last  winter. 


58  WALTER    EST  EGYPT. 

A  s  soon  as  we  got  out  of  the  boat,  they  came  at 
us,  a  hundred  of  them.  They  acted  hke  liungry 
wolves,  shouting  in  all  sorts  of  dialects,  seizing 
our  baggage,  pulling  our  clothes,  crowding  us  in 
one  direction,  and  pushing  us  in  another,  one 
urging  us  to  ride  his  donkey  for  this  reason,  and 
one  for  that ;  and  Minnie  and  mother  were  al- 
most hoisted  off  their  feet  and  mounted  on  the 
backs  of  the  donkeys  before  they  were  aware  of 
it.  Minnie  was  afi"aid  of  them,  though  she  would 
not  own  it.  While  in  the  midst  of  the  hubbub, 
father  espied  an  omnibus  at  a  little  distance  —  a 
funny  vehicle,  about  half  way  between  a  hearse 
and  a  bagiiage-wairon,  and  without  knowing; 
where  it  was  going,  hurried  us  into  it,  much  to 
our  relief,  but  three  of  the  gentlemen  concluded 
to  go  on  donkeys,  and  took  Harry  with  them. 
We  supposed  we  had  escaped  the  annoyance. 
But  we  had  not,  for  we  were  followed  in  l)y  a 
dozen  dirty,  barefoot  Arabs,  who  proved  to  be 
dragomans,  and  wanted  to  travel  with  us.  They 
chattered  and  screamed,  gesticulated  and  ur2;ed. 
Each  one  had  a  bag  of  greasy  recommendations 
given  him  by  English  or  American  travellers, 
whom  he  had  taken  up  the  Nile,  or  through 
Palestine.  You  would  have  laughed,  Charlie, 
to  have  seen  and  heard  them. 

"  The  omnibus  took  us  to  a  hotel  where  Harry 
and  I  had  another  adventure.     We  wanted  to 


EXPERIENCE   IN    ALEXANDRIA.  59 

take  a  hath  soon  after  our  arrival,  and  for  this 
purpose  went  into  the  elegant  bath  establishment; 
after  we  had  bathed  in  elaborate  marble  tubs, 
and  felt  all  the  better  for  it,  we  marched  out,  but 
an  Arab  stopped  us,  and  demanded  pay.  This 
was  something  we  had  not  thought  of,  and  on 
searching  our  pockets,  found  we  had  nothing  but 
a  few  pieces  of  English  silver.  This  we  offered 
him,  but  he  would  not  take  it.  We  told  him  we 
would  settle  for  the  bath  with  our  board-bills,  but 
that  did  not  satisfy  him.  We  asked  him  to  let 
us  go  and  find  some  of  the  gentlemen,  but  he  put 
himself  right  in  the  door-way,  exclaiming  in  bro- 
ken accents,  '  Big  Americans,  no  pay.'  Here 
we  were  in  limbo,  and  how  to  escape  we  could 
not  tell ;  when  fortunately  one  of  our  friends, 
Mr.  Damrell,  came  along,  and  released  us.  Harry 
looks  daggers  at  the  villanous  fellow  every  time 
he  sees  him. 

"  I  shall  write  you  all  the  news,  and  you  can 
read  the  letter  to  Aunt  Hester. 

"  Walter." 

The  hotel  at  which  our  travellers  were  accom- 
modated was  on  the  public  square  of  Alexandria, 
and  Minnie  and  her  mother  took  much  pleasure 
in  sitting  at  evening  on  the  balcony,  and  looking 
out  upon  the  people  as  they  thronged  the  beau- 
tiful grounds.     There  were  people  of  all  nations 


60  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

and  colors.  The  coal-black  Nubian,  the  S(.'owl 
ing  Turk,  and  the  pale-faced  European,  were  aL 
there.  Now  and  then  a  full  dress  suit  of  Eu- 
ropean clothes  upon  a  human  form  was  seen 
crossing  the  park,  but  mostly  the  people  were 
arrayed  in  the  flowing  oriental  costume,  vary- 
ing from  a  mere  white  cloth  wound  around  the 
body,  to  the  full  Turkish  suit,  with  its  gay 
colors  and  its  showy  decorations.  Around  the 
square  were  vax'ious  public  buildings,  among 
which  were  the  several  consulates,  surmounted 
by  the  flags  of  the  nations  represented ;  and 
Minnie  clapped  her  hands  the  first  time  she 
recognized  among  them  our  own  regal  banner, 
—  the  stars  and  stripes. 

"  Look,  Mother,"  said  Minnie  one  day,  as  she 
sat  with  Mrs.  Percy  on  the  balcony ;  "  see, 
there  is  a  donkey  with  a  ghost  on  him." 

"A  ghost?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  the  woman  does  look  like  a  ghost," 
answered  the  mother,  as  an  Egyptian  lady,  all 
veiled  in  white,  came  trotting  along  on  a  donkey, 
sitting,  as  the  ladies  always  do  when  they  ride, 
on  her  knees,  in  a  most  uncomfortable  position. 

"And  look  there." 

"  What  now  ?  " 

"  Why,  there  is  a  donkey  with  five  boys  ou 
him." 


EXPERIENCE  IN  ALEXANDRIA.  61 

"  Yes,  and  there  is  another  with  a  portly 
Qian  on  his  back,  who  covers  the  l)east  all  up.'" 

"  I  see  him,  Ma.    Oh,  is  it  not  Mr.  Bradley  ? ' 

"Mr.  Bradley?     No,  dear." 

"  Why,  it  is.  Ma;— look!" 

And    so   it   proved    to    be  —  a    friend   of  the 
family,  who  had  crossed   the  ocean  in  a  sailing- 
vessel,  and  who  was  at  once  kindly  welcomed  by 
the  whole  party. 

One  evening,  after  the  day's  work  was  done, 
Mr.  Percy  said  to  the  children,  — 

"  What  have  you  seen  to-day  ?  " 

"  Almost  everything.  Pa,"  said  Minnie. 

"  But  what  have  you  seen  that  has  struck  you 
peculiarly  ?     Walter,  you  may  answer  first." 

"  I  have  been  struck,"  replied  the  boy,  "  with 
the  blindness  with  which  so  many  people  are 
afflicted.  About  one  fourth  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Alexandria  have  something  the  matter  with 
the  eyes.  Blind  children,  blind  men,  blind 
women,  and  even  blind  mules  and  dorkejs  have 
met  me  at  every  turn.  What  is  the  cause  of 
this?" 

"  I  have  been  struck  with  the  same  thing,  and 
have  attributed  it  to  the  filthy  habits  of  the 
people.  Perhaps  you  have  noticed  that  the 
children  are  literally  eaten  uji  with  flies.  I 
have  to-day  seen  mothers  carrying  theii*  babes 
througli  the  street,  covered  with  these  insects, 
without   trying  to  brush  them  ofi." 


62  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"So  have  I,  Mr.  Percy,"  cried  Hany,  break- 
incr  in.  "  I  have  seen  children  to-day  with  their 
eyes  all  covered  with  flies,  so  that  where  the 
eyes  should  have  been  were  two  balls  of  insects 
as  big  as  apples." 

"  Whew  !  "  exclaimed  Minnie. 

"  It  is  true,"  answered  the  boy. 

"  The  Egyptian  fly,"  remarked  Mr.  Dunn- 
allan,  "  seems  to  have  a  swifter  motion  and  a 
sharper  sting  than  any  I  have  ever  seen.  It 
aims  for  the  eye,  and  strikes  in  at  once,  boring 
into  the  flesh  as  with  a  gimlet,  and  when  you 
raise  your  hand  to  brush  it  off",  you  kill  the 
insect  in  dislodo-inor  it." 

"  Dr.  Smith,  who  has  looked  at  the  subject 
in  the  light  of  science,"  remarked  Dr.  Forrestall, 
"thinks  that  'the  prevalence  of  ophthalmia  in 
adults  is  owing,  in  part,  to  the  turban,  there 
being  no  projecting  rim  to  it,  for  a  shade  to  the 
eyes,  like  the  visor  of  an  ordinary  cap.  Those 
who  do  not  wear  that  hot,  heavy  head-gear,  sub- 
stitute the  tarbousch,  —  a  thick,  red,  felt  cap, 
without  a  rim,  and  consequently  admitting  the 
strong  rays  of  the  sun  directly  into  the  eyes. 
Then  the  heated  sand,  reflecting  the  light  with 
the  intensity  of  a  mirror,  contributes  to  produce 
an  ii'ritability  of  the  visual  apparatus,  which  may 
degenerate  into  total  blindness.'  " 

"  And  that  is  not  all  he  says,"  replied 
Percy. 


EXPEKIENCE  IN  ALEXANDRIA.  63 

"What  does  he  say,  Mother?" 

"That  an  English  lady  told  him  that  'an 
opinion  prevails  among  them  that  it  would  be 
disastrous  to  wash  an  infant  till  it  is  one  year 
old  ;  and  consequently,  from  the  hour  they  are 
ushered  into  existence,  to  the  termination  ol' 
twelve  months,  the  dirty  little  creatures  are 
never  washed.'  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  believe  that." 

"  Nor  I." 

"  It  does  not  seem  reasonable,  but  it  may  be 

su. 

"  I  have  heard  the  phenomena  explained," 
said  Mr.  Allston,  "  in  this  way  :  mothers  put  out 
the  right  eye  of  their  male  children  in  infancy, 
that  they  may  not  be  impressed  into  the  army." 

"  But,"  said  Walter,  "  that  would  not  explain 
the  blindness  of  the  women  and  donkeys." 

"  No,  that  must  be  accounted  for  on  the 
siijiposition  that  they  are  put  out  by  the  sand, 
which  blows  about,  and  fills  eyes,  ears,  nose,  and 
mouth,  as  we  have  to-day  experienced." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  what  the  cause  of  it 
is,"  said  Harry,  "but  I  know  blindness  is  ter- 
ribly prevalent.  Blind  men  stand  in  the  street 
asking  your  charity  on  every  corner ;  men  blind 
of  an  eye  look  out  at  you  from  the  little  window 
of  the  sliop  where  knick-knacks  and  gimcracks 
are  sold ;    the   donkey-boy  is   blind   of  an    eye, 


64  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

and  his  mother  who  comes  to  help  him  out  of 
his  trouble  is  bhnd  of  an  eye ;  the  waiters  at 
the  hotel  here  are  troubled  about  the  eyes ;  the 
landlord  is  obliged  to  shut  one  eve  when  he 
speaks ;  and  a  dozen  times  since  morning  1  have 
put  up  my  hands  to  see  if  there  is  not  something 
the  matter  with  my  own  eyes." 

"  Well  done,  Harry,"  exclaimed  Minnie. 

"  Now,  Minnie,"  said  her  father,  "  tell  me 
what  you  have  seen  and  noted  to-day?  What 
has  impressed  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  a  funeral  procession,  and  so  odd 
that  I  shall  never  forget  it." 

"  Tell  us  about  it." 

"  This  morning  I  was  aroused  by  a  horrid 
noise  under  the  window,  and  on  getting  up  and 
looking  out,  saw  a  company  of  men  with  tin 
horns,  rude  drums  and  gongs,  making  a  hideous 
outcry.  Then  followed  a  number  of  persons, 
bearing  a  dead  body  upon  a  bier.  The  corpse 
was  covered  with  gay  clothing,  and  the  showy 
turban  of  the  man  lay  on  the  outside.  Imme- 
diately behind  followed  a  woman  and  two 
children  ;  these  I  supposed  to  be  the  wife  and 
children  of  the  departed.  Behind  them  were 
from  fifty  to  ninety  aged  men  and  women,  wail- 
ing and  moaning,  and  shouting  most  violently." 

"  What  did  they  say  ?  "    queried  Harry. 

*'  I  could  not  tell,  but  Mr.  Butter  worth  in- 


EXPERIENCE  IN  ALEXANDRIA.  65 

quired  of  a  native,  and  was  told  that  they  only 
repeated  over  and  over  the  most  senseless  expres* 
sions." 

"  Such  as  what  ?  " 

*'  Oh  my  father  !  Oh  my  mother !  Oh  the  sun  ! 
Oh  the  moon  !   Oh  the  stars  !   Oh  the  river !  " 

"  Well,  Harry,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "  what  haa 
impresse'l  you  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  n  "tthing,  Mr.  Percy.  I  was  so  disturbed 
by  dogs  and  donkeys  last  night,  that  I  have  not 
got  any  new  ideas  into  my  head  to-day." 

•'■  Dogs  and  donkeys  !  Did  they  trouble  you  ?" 

"  You  know  the  doos  are  large  and  wolfish, 
and  roam  in  droves.  They  are  like  half-starved 
jackals  ;  and  last  night  they  were  howling  all 
the  time.  One  solitary  doo;  would  commence, 
and  in  a  minute  he  would  be  joined  by  another, 
and  then  ten,  then  a  hundred,  and  it  seemed  at 
last  as  if  a  milHon  were  joining  in  the  boister- 
ous chorus." 

"  But  the  donkeys  don't  bark,  do  they?" 

*'  No,  but  they  bray." 

"  You  know,  Harry,  that  almost  every  man  and 
boy  here  keeps  a  donkey." 

"  Where  do  they  keep  him,  Pa  ?  "  asked  Min- 
nie. 

"  Sometimes  they  put  him  into  the  spare  room, 
and  sometimes  he  is  taken  to  bed  with  the 
owner." 


66  WALTER  m  EGYPT. 

"  You  reverse  it,  Pa." 

"How?" 

"  Don't  the  owner  go  to  bed  with  the  don- 
key?" 

"  I  don't  know  ;  but  as  Harry  says,  they  make 
a  terrible  noise  ;  a  thousand  of  them  seem  to  be 
braying  at  once." 

"  I  tliink  it  is  time  for  my  children  to  go  to 
bed  now,"  said  Mrs.  Percy,  rising. 

"  Not  yet.  Ma,"  said  Minnie. 

"  Not  just  yet,"  added  Walter. 

"  Oh,  no ;  it  is  not  bedtime,"  was  the  reply  of 
Harry. 

"  You  had  better  go  now,  and  be  up  early  in 
the  morning." 

"  Well." 

"  Good -night,  all  round." 


POMPEY'S   PILLAR.  —  CLEOPATRA'S   NEEDLES.    G7 


CHAPTER  V. 

POMPET's    pillar. CLEOPATRA  8    NEEDLES. 

*  Where  shall  we  go  to-day?"  said  Waltei 
to  his  father,  one  morning  shortly  after  the  ar- 
ri\al  in  Alexandria. 

*'  It  is  a  cool  day,  my  son,  and  we  have  con- 
cluded to  take  open  carriages  and  ride  about  the 
city,  and  see  all  we  can  of  it." 

"  That  will  be  nice,  and  there  are  some  things 
here  I  want  to  see." 

"What  are  thev?" 

"  Pompey's  Pillar  and  Cleopatra's  Needles." 

"  We  shall  visit  them." 

"  Are  they  far  distant  ?  " 

"  No  ;  they  are  in  sight  from  the  roof  of  our 
hotel.     We  can  reach  them  in  half  an  hour." 

Just  then  they  were  called  to  breakfast,  and 
afterwards  a  carriage  or  two  were  found,  — 
though  carriages  are  not  numerous  in  Egypt,  — ■ 
and  they  all  started  out. 

"  Father,"  exclaimed  Minnie,  as  they  rode 
along. 

"What,  child?" 


68  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Don't  you  remember  a  Mr.  Lucas,  who 
preached  at  our  church  a  few  Sabbaths  before 
we  sailed  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

*'  Well." 

"What  of  him?" 

"He  spoke  of  the  Alexandrian  Library  —  is 
that  here  ?  " 

"  No,  child." 

"  Where  is  it  ?  " 

"  It  was  destroyed  many  years  ago." 

"  I  have  often  heard  of  this  library,  and 
would  like  to  know  its  history;  —  please  tell  it  to 
us,"  said  Walter. 

"  If  Harry  will  stop  his  shouting,  I  will.  The 
boy  acts  as  if  he  was  crazy." 

"  O  Mr.  Percy,  I  am  all  attention,  if  you 
have  anything  to  tell  us." 

"  The  Alexandrian  Library  was  founded  two 
hundred  and  ninety  years  before  Christ,  by  Ptol- 
emy Soter." 

"  Who  was  Ptolemy  Soter  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

"  Ask  the  question  some  other  time,  Min." 
said  Walter. 

"  It  was  of  great  value,  but  was  several  time 
destroyed :  once  by  Csesar,  forty-seven  years  be- 
fore  Christ ;  once  by  Bishop  Theophilus,  a,  d. 
400,  and  finally  by  Caliph  Omar  in  642." 

"  How  large  was  it?"  asked  Minnie. 


fOMPEY'S   PILLAR — CLEOPATRA'S   NEEDLES.       09 

"  I  do  not  know.  There  are  many  statements 
in  regard  to  the  extent  of  tlie  library,  and  they 
contradict  each  other." 

"What  are  they?" 

"  One  statement  is,  that  there  were  4,000 
baths  in  the  city  at  the  time  the  hbrary  was 
finally  destroyed,  and  that  the  books  being 
equally  divided  among  them,  kept  them  all  burn- 
ing; for  six  months." 

"  Tremendous  !     What  other  statements  ?  " 

"  Why,  others  say  there  were  not  more  than 
700,000  volumes  at  any  one  time." 

"  Were  they  not  mostly  manuscripts  ?  !' 

"  Yes." 

"  Are  there  not  many  public  libraries  that 
hp.ve  700,000  volumes  in  them?" 

"Not  many." 

"What  are  the  largest?" 

"The  Imperial  Library  in  Paris— 1,084,000 
volumes." 

"  What  comes  next  ?  " 

'  The  Royal   Library  in  Munich  —  900,000 
volumes." 

"  How  many  volumes  are  there  in  the  Brit- 
ish Museum  ?  " 

"About  625,000." 

"What  is  the  largest  library  in   America?" 

"  That  at  Harvard  College,  which  has  about 
123,000  volumes." 


70  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"What  is  next  to  that?" 

'•  The  Astor  Library  in  New  York,  which 
has  100,000  volumes."' 

"  How  many  has  the  City  School  Library  in 
Boston  ?  " 

"About  75,000;  and  the  Athenaeum  Library 
has  as  many." 

'■'  Are  any  of  the  books  of  the  Alexandrian 
Library  yet  in  existence  ?  " 

Before  Mr.  Percy  could  answer  this  question 
the  boys  both  shouted  together,  — 

"  The  pillar !     The  pillar  !  " 

And  there  before  them  was  Pompey's  Pillar, 
looking  just  as  it  looked  to  the  children  in  their 
school-books.  They  drove  up  to  it,  and  all  got 
out,  and  as  they  approached,  a  little  old  woman 
came  running  up  to  them,  offering  her  services 
as  a  cicerone. 

"  See,  Walter,"  said  Minnie,  "  here  comes  the 
witch  of  the  pillar." 

"She  looks  like  it." 

The  woman  had  pieces  of  red  granite  to  sell, 
which  she  stated  had  been  clipped  from  the  huge 
shaft  before  them.  But  the  party  did  not  believe 
her,  and  with  a  little  hammer  —  which  he  always 
carried  on  such  excursions  —  Walter  knocked  off 
a  bit  of  the  real  stone,  which  he  brought  away 
with  him.  The  pillar  stands  on  an  elevation  of 
ground,  and  the  foundations  seem  nearly  under- 


POMPEY'S   PILLAR.  — CLEOPATRA'S   NEEDLES.    71 

mined,  and  Walter  predicted  that  it  would  all 
tumble  down  in  a  few  years.  The  shaft  of  the 
pillar  between  the  base  and  the  elegantly 
wrought  Corinthian  capital  is  seventy-three  feet 
high,  of  beautiful  polished  stone.  The  whole 
height  is  ninety-nine  feet,  and  the  shaft  is  thirty 
feet  in  circumference.  Standing  alone  as  it  does, 
it  is  a  very  imposing  spectacle,  the  remnant  of 
an  earlier  age.  While  they  were  looking  at  it, 
Walter  inquired  about  its  history. 

"  What  is  known  about  this  pillar,  father  ?  " 

"  Almost  nothing." 

*'  Why  is  it  named  for  Pompey  ?  '* 

"  No  one  can  tell." 

*'  Was  it  erected  to  his  memory  ?  " 

"No;  to  Diocletian." 

"By  whom?" 

"  By  Publius,   the  Prefect  of  Egypt." 

"  Then  why  is  it  called  '  Pompey's  Pillar'?  " 

"  Probably  after  Diocletian  ceased  to  be  hon- 
ored, the  other  name  was  given  to  it ;  but  it 
should  be  called  '  Diocletian's  Pillar.'  " 

Here  the  old  woman,  who  could  speak  Eng- 
lish, apfiroached  Walter,  and  oftered  a  piece  of 
red  granite  for  sale. 

"  How  much  do  you  ask  for  it  ?  "  asked  Wal 
:.er. 

"  Backshish.* 

»»How  much?" 


72  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Money  —  backshish." 

"No,  I  don't  want  it." 

"  No  want  —  yes  ^—  backshish." 

"  No ;  it  is  spurious." 

"  Spu  —  spu  —  backshish,  backshish." 

"  It  is  no  good,  I  mean." 

"  Yes,  good — true  Pompey." 

But  the  lad  was  not  to  be  deceived  by  any 
such  wares  as  the  woman  had  for  sale,  and  soon 
he  got  an  opportunity  to  remove  little  pieces  of 
the  real  pillar. 

"  You  are  a  vandal,  Walter,"  said  Minnie,  as 
she  saw  him  break  them  off. 

"Not  quite,  Sis." 

"  You  are  not  honest." 

"Not  honest?" 

"No." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  you  are  stealing." 

"No,  Sis." 

"  Why,  this  pillar  is  not  yours." 

"  Yes,  it  is." 

"  How  dc   you  make  that  out  ?  " 

"  It  belongs  to  the  world,  not  to  this  old  wo- 
man, nor  to  the  Pasha  of  Egypt.  I  am  a  part  of 
the  world,  and  am  taking  my  pieces  of  the  pillar 


noAv." 


"  What  immorality !  Where  is  Rector  Aliston  ?" 
"  Come,  children,  it  is  time  to  go." 


POMPEY'S   PILLAR. — CLE0PATRAT3   NEEDLES.     73 

"  Ay,  ay,  Sir,"   roared  Harry,  who  was  quite 
boisterous  on  this  occasion. 

"  And  where  now  ?  "  asked  Walter,  as  they 
seated  tliemselves. 

"  To  Cleopatra's  Needles." 
"  Needles  ?  "  inquired    Walter.      "  I  thought 
there  was  but  one." 

"  I  am  not  responsible  for  your  thoughts  ;  — 
there  are  two." 

"  But   there  is   only   one  in   my  geography," 
said  Minnie. 

"  I  can't  help  that,  —  there  are  two  here." 
"  We  shall  see." 

Soon  they  reached  the  place,  and  found  one 
Bolitary  obelisk  standing. 

"  There,  what  did  I  tell  you?  "  cried  Minnie, 
"  Yes,  1  was  right,"  added  Walter. 
"  You  were  wrong,"  replied  the  father. 
"  How  is  that  ?   Here  is  but  one." 
"  Wait  and  see." 

They  clambered  over  some  piles  of  timber,  and 
reached  the  shaft.  They  found  but  one  standing; 
the  other  Avas  on  the  ground  and  nearly  embed- 
ded in  the  earth. 

"  Ah,  liex-e  is  tlie  second  ;  I  give  it  up,"  said 
Walter. 

"  This  fallen  pillar  was  once  offered  to  tho 
English  government ;  but  the  expense  and  trou- 
ble of  getting  it  were  so  great,  that  the  practical 


74  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

Englishmen   concluded  to  let   it    stay   wheie   it 


is." 


"  A  wise  conclusion,"  said  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  I  don't  thmk  so,"  replied  Dr.  Forrestall. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  the  rector. 

"  Nor  I,"  chimed  in  Walter. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  Because,"  replied  the  boy,  "  the  English 
government  is  rich,  and  might  as  well  spend 
money  in  one  way  as  another,  and  this  obelisk 
in  London  would  be  a  great  curiosity." 

"  I  think  as  Mr.  Tenant  does,"  said  Harry. 

"  I  supposed  you  would,"  replied  Walter. 

"  Why  ?  " 

"  Because  you  care  nothing  for  antiquity." 

"  No  ;  what  have  I  to  do  with  antiquity  ? " 

"  Much,  I  think." 

"  No,  Walter,  I  would  rather  look  at  a  lamp- 
post in  a  park,  than  this  unsightly  pillar." 

"  Yes,  Harry,"  said  Minnie,  "  you  care  more 
for  the  present  things,  —  fast  horses,  dogs,  and 
rifles,  than  for  old  pictures  or  old  pillars." 

"  Of  course  I  do." 

"  That  is  where  we  differ,"  replied  Walter. 
'•  Now,  father,  tell  us  something  about  these 
Needles." 

"  What  would  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  want  to  know  if  "  — 

"  Who  was  Cleopatra  ?  "  interrupted  Minnie. 


POMPEY'S   PILLAR. — CLEOPATRA'S   NEEDLES.     75 

"  Perhaps  Walter  can  tell.     She  was  a   char- 
acter in  wlioni  vou  would  feel  some  interest." 

t/ 

"  I  don't  know  much  about  her." 
"  Well,  tell  what  you  do." 
"  Well,  I  have  read  that  Cleopatra  was  a  Greek 
female  name,  which  signified  '  the  glory  of  her 
country.'  There  were  several  Cleopatras,  but 
the  one  for  whom  I  suppose  this  Needle  to  be 
named,  was  the  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Auletes. 
After  various  adventures  she  was  married  to 
Ptolemy  Necteros,  a  child  only  seven  years  old." 

"  Whew,  how  old  was  she?" 

"  About  forty." 

"  Mercy,"  exclaimed  Minnie,  "  why  did  she  do 
that  ?  " 

"  It  was  a  State  marriage,  —  to  give  her  power. 
She  was  a  very  ambitious  woman.  There  are 
many  interesting  things  said  about  her.  I  have 
at  honu'  a  Httle  iiistory  which  contains  many  of 
the  facts  of  her  history,  which  you  can  have, 
when  we  reach  Cambridge  again." 

*'  I  should  like  to  read  it." 

*'  So  should  1,"  added  Harry. 

"  But,  Walter,"  asked  his  sister,  "  was  this 
obelisk  erected  by  her,  or  to  her  memory?" 

''  I  think  to  her  memory.  Am  I  right,  ia- 
ther?" 

"  No,  my  son." 

"  What\hen?" 


T6  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  The  shaft  was  reared  long  before  her  time, 
as  far  back  as  the  Exodus,  and  was  probably  once 
a  part  of  a  heathen  temple.  The  hieroglyphics 
on  it  are  said  to  give  evidence  that  it  once  be- 
longed to  the  temple  of  the  sun  at  Heliopolis,  a 
place  we  shall  visit  to-morrow." 

"  How  high  is  it  ?  " 

"  The  guide-books  say  sixtj^-three  feet." 

Having  seen  enough  of  the  Needles  they  rode 
to  the  catacombs  hewn  in  the  rocks,  in  which 
Harry  and  Minnie  felt  no  interest,  but  which 
Walter  viewed  with  much  pleasure.  They  con- 
sisted of  chambers  in  the  rocks,  where  the  dead 
had  once  reposed ;  but  the  bones  had  all  been 
removed. 

"  And  where  next  ?  "  asked  Walter,  when  they 
had  again  taken  seats  in  the  carriao-e. 

"  Where  you  will.  We  have  seen  all  we  came 
out  to  see,  and  now  you  can  go  to  the  hotel,  oi 
ride  about  the  city." 

"  I  want  to  ride  about,"  said  Harry. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  something  more,"  said 
Walter. 

"  I  want  to  go  home,"  said  Minnie.  "  This  fine 
dust  is  sifting  into  my  eyes  so,  that  I  cannot  see 
anything,  and  I  shall  not  be  fit  to  be  seen  at  tea- 


lime  " 


"  Oh,   no  matter  how  you  look,  nobody  will 
know  you." 


POMPEY'S   PILLAR.  —  CLEOPATRA'S   NEEDLES.    77 

9 

"  If  nobody  don't,  I  want  to  look  decent." 

"  That  is  a  new  idea  that  has  taken  you, 
Min,"  said  Harry. 

"  Take  that,  Mr.  Impudence,"  and  "  wliack" 
went  a  Httlo  twig  tliat  Minnie  had  in  her  hands 
over  Harry's  shoulders. 

"  Come,  come,  childi'en,  you  mustn't  play  in 
the  carriaoe  ;  have  your  bantering  at  home." 

They  rode  about  the  city  an  hour,  and  then 
drew  up  at  the  door  of  the  hotel,  where  they  were 
soon  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  Arabs,  from 
whom  they  were  glad  to  escape  to  their  rooms, 
where  they  rested  until  tea-time. 


WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  VI 

GRAND    CAIRO. 

The  part}'  started  one  morning  for  Cairo  the 
Magnificent.  This  grand  oriental  city  is  situ- 
ated about  twelve  miles  above  the  apex  of  the 
delta  of  the  Nile,  and  is  seven  miles  in  circum- 
ference. A  railroad  is  stretched  between  Alex- 
andria and  this  city,  and  few  travellers  y)ass 
from  one  to  the  other  by  any  other  mode  of  con- 
veyance. 

The  car  into  which  our  travellers  climbed 
was  a  large,  room-like  carriage,  in  which  were 
many  Arabs  bound  to  Cairo.  For  a  while  the 
children  amused  themselves  by  watching  the 
strange  ways  of  this  strange  people.  The  coun- 
try was  fertile ;  green  fields  were  waving  in 
all  directions,  and  frequent  villages  were  seen  in 
tlie  distance.  At  every  stop])ing-place,  large 
numbers  of  persons,  male  and  female,  were 
found,  who  had  various  kinds  of  cookery  to  dis- 
pose of.  Chickens,  well  roasted,  were  sold  at 
sixpence  each ;  eggs,  well  boiled,  three  for  a 
half-penny ;    oranges,   luscious    and  well  grown, 


GRAND  CAIRO.  79 

as  cheap  as  sparrows  in  tlie  times  of  Christ,  as 
Mr.  Allston  said ;  various  kinds  of  bread  and 
cake ;  water  from  goat-skin  bags,  which  neither 
of  tlie  children  coukl  be  persuaded  to  touch  ; 
and  strong  drinks  in  httle  cans  were  met  with 
all  alono;  the  road. 

The  river  was  crossed  once  or  twice,  —  the 
noble,  majestic  Nile.  The  moment  it  appeared 
in  view,  the  Arabs,  who  had  seen  it  a  thousand 
times  before,  crowded  to  the  windows  of  the  car- 
riages, and  shouted  in  a  delirium  of  joy.  Had 
Mecca  ap})eared  to  their  astonished  gaze,  they 
could  scarcely  have  been  more  jubilant.  With 
an  Egyptian  the  Nile  is  an  object  of  great  re- 
spect, if  not  of  reverence  and  worship.  Well  it 
may  be,  for  without  it  not  a  single  human  being 
could  subsist  in  that  arid,  scorching  region.  It 
is  rain  and  dew,  food  and  drink,  occupation  and 
country  to  thousands  who  subsist  upon  its  prod- 
ucts. But  of  the  Nile  we  shall  speak  more 
particularly  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

At  one  of  the  stations  on  the  road,  they  saw 
the  state  train  of  the  Pasha  of  Egypt,  and  a 
m(»re  gorgeous  equipage  the  children  had  never 
seen  before.  The  locomotive  was  a  blaze  of  gilt 
and  gold,  and  the  cars  were  sumptuous  in  the 
extreme.  Time  was  given  for  an  examination 
of  the  carriages,  and  the  splendor  of  their 
decorations  made  Minnie  enthusiastic  in  their 
praise. 


80  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Who  would  have  thouo;ht  I  " 

"  Thought  what,  Sis  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  That  I  should  come  to-the  deserts  of  Eg}''pt 
to  see  the  most  beautiful  train  of  cars  that  I 
ever  beheld." 

"  It  is  strange  ;  but  father  tells  me  this  people 
are  fond  of  show." 

"  So  are  the  French,  but  this  train  is  far  more 
elaborate  and  beautiful  than  the  state  carriages 
of  Napoleon." 

"  Dino;,  diner,  ding !  " 

"  Come,  children,"  cried  Mr.  Percy. 

"  All  aboard !  "  shouted  Mr.  Tenant. 

Soon  they  were  again  seated,  Minnie  telling 
Her  mother  what  she  had  seen,  and  describing, 
in  a  rapid  enthusiastic  manner,  the  beauties  of 
this  royal  train. 

"  Wasn't  it  beautiful  ?  "  she  asked,  turning  to 
Mr.  Tenant. 

"  Not  beautiful,  but  showy,  dear." 

"  Oh,  what  a  man  !  " 

"  It  was  not  beautiful  to  my  eye." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Because  so  much  show  upon  a  locomotive  is 
out  of  taste." 

"  So  Walter  said,  but  he  don't  know." 

"  Walter's  taste  is  generally  good.  Sis." 

"  Well,  say  what  you  will,  Mr.  Tenant,  I 
think  it  was  first-rate." 


GRAND  CAIRO.  81 

"  I  wish  1  had  seen  it,"  remarked  Mrs.  Percy, 
"  and  tlien  I  could  liave  exercised  my  judgment 
in  the  matter." 

A  conversation  on  the  other  side  of  the  car 
between  Waher  and  Dr.  Forrestall  now  drew 
attention. 

"  How  old  a  place  did  you  say  Cairo  was  ?  " 
asked  Walter  of  the  physician. 

"  It  was  founded  a.  d.  970." 

"' A.  D  ! '  What  does  a.  d.,  that  I  hear  you 
speak  about,  mean  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Why,  Harry,  don't  you  know  ?  "  said  Walter. 

"  No  ;  tell  me." 

''  Do  you  know,  Sis  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  tell  him  then." 

"  It  means  '  the  year  of  our  Lord.'  " 

"But,"  queried  Harry,  "how  does  a.  d. 
mean  '  year  of  our  Lord  '  ?  " 

"  Explain,  Minnie,  as  you  have  begun." 

"It  means  —  means  —  I  don't  know." 

"  Ah,  I  thought  you  didn't." 

"Do  you,  Walter?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  explain  it  to  us." 

"  A.  D.  stands  for  Anno  Domini,  two  Latin 
words,  which  mean  '  the  year  of  our  Lord.'  " 

"  Good  ;  I  shall  always  remember." 

*'  Now  please  tell  us,"  said  Walter,  turning  tc 
6 


H2  WALTER  IN  EGTl'T. 

the  gentleman  Avith  whom  he  had  been  convirs- 
mg,  "  about  Cairo." 

"  What  would  you  know  ?  " 

"  Who  founded  it  ?  " 

"  An  Arabian  caliph." 

"Was  it  always  called  Cairo?" 

"  No,  its  original  name  vA^as  ^l  Kahireh.** 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?  " 

"  The  Victorious." 

"  Why  that  name  ?  " 

"  To  commemorate  some  victory  gained 
here." 

"  Was  there  nothing  here  before  ?  " 

"  Yes,  probably  there  was  a  city,  on,  or  near 
the  Nile,  in  the  times  of  Moses.  Moez,  though 
liaving  the  credit  of  founding  the  place,  only 
revived  it." 

In  conversation  about  Egypt,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  land,  the  time  was  occupied,  until 
the  domes  and  minarets  of  the  city  appeared  in 
view,  and  about  six  hours  after  starting  from 
Alexandria  they  stood  in  the  depot  at  Caii'o. 
The  children  were  here  almost  bewildered  with 
the  jargon  of  tongues,  but  Mr.  Percy  got  them 
all  safely  into  an  omnibus,  and  they  were 
driven  through  narrow  filthy  streets,  and  be- 
neath  the  shade  of  trees,  that  grew  in  the  very 
walls  of  the  houses,  until  they  arrived  in  front 
of  a  large,   modern-looking    building,   over  the 


GRAND  CAIRO.  83 

hiffh-arched  door  of  which  were  the  words  Hotel 
ct  Orient. 

"  Hotel  of  the  East,"  shouted  Walter.  "  Here 
we  ai-e." 

"  Is  this  the  hotel  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

She  was  soon  answered  by  the  sight  of  porters 
seizing  on  the  luggage,  and  in  a  few  minutes, 
they  had  all  passed  beneath  the  archway  and 
were  in  a  pretty  quadrangle  into  Avhich  doors 
opened  on  all  sides.  Mr.  Tenant,  wlio  was  the 
business  man  of  the  party,  was  put  forward  to 
make  a  bargain  with  the  landlord,  and  the  terms 
being  found  satisfactory,  the  whole  company  was 
soon  provided  with  nice  apartments  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  house. 

Walter  and  Harry  were  put  into  the  same 
room.  Mr.  liutterworth  occupied  one  adjoining, 
and  the  rest  of  the  party  were  entertained  to  their 
own  liking.  To  Minnie  was  assigned  an  apart- 
ment oi)ening  out  of  the  one  occupied  by  her 
father  and  mother,  and  the  weary  travellers  were 
soon  congratulating  each  other  on  having  found 
such  comfortable  quarters. 

"  Walter,"  said  Harry,  while  they  were  wash- 
ing their  dust-begrimed  faces,  "  this  is  as  good 
as  the  Treniont  House." 

"  Better." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  if  we  should  go  to  a  hotel  at  home. 


84  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

we  should  be  put  into  a  little  seven-by-nine  room, 
with  one  window  only  in  it,  and  no  ventilation." 

"  So  we  should." 

"  And  then  the  hotel  would  be  so  full,  and 
there  would  be  so  much  tramping  through  the 
passages  at  night,  that  we  could  not  sleep." 

"  That's  so." 

*'  But  here  we  have  a  room  more  than  thirty 
feet  square,  with  four  large  windows  in,  and  t\v'o 
nice  looking  beds,  and  a  large  centre-table,  —  and 
everything  looks  so  homelike." 

"  I  did  not  expect  to  find  such  accommoda- 
tions." 

"Nor  I." 

"  I  was  afraid  we  should  find  the  hotel  so 
mean  that  we  should  want  to  get  out  of  it,  and 
the  weather  so  hot  that  we  should  almost  die 
of  it." 

"  We  should  be  thankful  that  it  is  so  much 
better  than  we  feai'ed.  It  is  not  very  hot 
here." 

"  No  ;  how  high  does  your  glass  go  ?  " 

Walter  took  out  his  neat  little  pocket  ther- 
mometer and  stood  it  in  the  open  window,  and 
when  the  mercury  had  reached  its  level,  he 
replied,  — 

"  It  is  only  seventy-six  degrees  in  the  shade." 

"  That  would  be  comfortable  summer  weathei 
at  home." 


GRAND   CAIRO.  85 

"  Yes,  but  it  will  soon  be  hotter  here.  I  heard 
a  servant  tell  father  that  it  was  over  one  hun- 
dred degrees  at  dusk  on  Friday  last." 

The  commendation  which  the  boys  bestowed 
upon  the  hotel  was  well  deserved,  as  they  after- 
ward found.  The  institution  was  manaoed  in 
European  style,  and  at  the  table  one  would 
scarcely  know  that  he  was  not  in  London  or 
Paris.  The  fare  was  as  at  our  own  hotels, — 
two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  day,  without 
charge  for  little  extras,  which  so  often  amounts 
to  a  formidable  bill  at  home. 

Near  the  close  of  the  afternoon  the  party  all 
came  together  to  discuss  plans  for  the  exploration 
of  Cairo. 

"  The  first  thing  we  have  to  do,"  said  Mr. 
Percy,  "  is  to  secure  a  dragoman  for  our  tour  in 
Syria." 

"Why  need  we  think  of  that  now?"  asked 
Mr.  Allston. 

"  Because,  whoever  we  may  eiio-acre  will  want 
some  time  to  prepare  for  the  journey.  He  will 
need  tents,  assistants,  and  provisions." 

"  May  I  speak  father,"  asked  Walter. 

"  Yes,  my  son." 

"  I  have  a  dragoman." 

"  You  have  !  " 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

*'  Who  is  he,  and  where  did  you  get  him?" 


86  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"  He  followed  us  from  Alexandria." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  Mohammed  Achmet." 

"  Oh,  yes,  the  good-looking  young  fellow, 
that  has  rendered  us  some  service  all  <he  way 
along." 

«  Yes,  Sir." 

"  Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"  I  saw  him  in  the  court  below  a  few  minutes 
since." 

"Call  him." 

Walter  ran  out  and  soon  came  in  brino-ing  a 
tall,  good-looking,  well-dressed  Arab,  who  was 
apparently  about  thirty-five  years  of  age. 

"  Here  he  is.  Pa,"  said  the  boy,  as  the  drago- 
man came  forward,  bowing,  in  oriental  style,  al- 
most to  the  floor. 

"  Are  you  a  dragoman  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Percy. 

"  Yes,  Sir ;  and  I  have  gone  up  the  Nile  and 
into  Syria  with  many  Americans." 

"Ah,  with  whom?" 

The  man  named  several  parties. 

*'  On  what  terms  will  you  accompany  us?" 

"  On  any  terms.     I  don't  go  for  money." 

"  What  do  you  go  for  ?  " 

"  Because  —  for  —  why  —  it  is  my  business  — 
trade  you  call  him.  Sir." 

"  How  soon  could  you  get  ready  ?  " 

"  Any  time." 


GRAND.  CAIRO.  87 

"  What  should  you  carry  with  you  ?  " 

"  New  tents,  iron  bedsteads,  plenty  of  food, 
cock,  good  guard  —  anything  you  want." 

"  Well,  Mr.  —  Mr.  —  What's-y our- name  ?  " 

"  I  am  Mohammed  Achmet,  dragoman." 

"  Well,  Sir,  we  are  going  out  now,  and  yon 
can  come  at  some  other  time.  If  we  can  agree 
with  you  as  to  the  terms,  we  may  make  a  contrac-t 
with  you.  We  are  to  travel  through  Syria,  ant! 
shall  want  a  good  dragoman.  You  have  be- 
friended  us  on  various  occasions,  and  if  we  can 
agree,  we  are  willing  to  take  you." 

Mohammed  was  profuse  in  his  thanks,  and 
promised  them  that  they  should  be  taken  through 
Palestine  in  a  way  that  no  party  of  Americans 
had  ever  gone  before.  He  then  bowed  himself 
out  of  the  room. 

"  Come,  let  us  be  off  now,"  said  Mr,  Allston. 

"  Where  ?  "   asked  several. 

"  To  the  Pyramids !  "  was  the  reply  of  Min- 
nie. 

"  It  is  too  late  —  it  will  take  all  day  !  " 

"  To  some  of  the  mosques,"  was  Walter's 
choice. 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "  we  have  only  two 
hours  before  dark,  and  we  shall  need  dinner  by 
that  time." 

"  I  know  where  to  go,"  saiil  Harry. 

*'  Where?"  said  several  i»f  the  I'arty. 


88  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  Let  US  have  a  donkey-ride,"  replied  the  hoy. 

"  Capital,"  cried  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  Just  the  thing,"  answered  Mr.  Percy. 

And  it  was  soon  agi-eed  that  the  first  donkey* 
ride  of  the  party  should  be  taken.  Mrs.  Percy 
and  Minnie  concluded  to  lie  down  and  take  a 
nap,  while  the  rest  were  gone  out.  Harry  was 
wild  with  joy,  not  only  that  his  proposition  had 
been  accepted,  but  that  he  was  now  to  have  the 
novel  entertainment  which  a  donkey-ride  was 
sure  to  give.  Walter  was  as  much  pleased  as 
Harry,  at  the  idea  of  trotting  through  the  streets 
of  Cairo  on  the  back  of  a  donkey,  but  he  mani- 
fested his  pleasure  in  a  much  more  quiet  and 
reasonable  way.  He  reminded  Harry  that  the 
ride  might  not  be  as  pleasant  an  experience  aa 
he  imagined  it  would. 


THE  FIRST  DONKEY-RIDE.  89 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   FIRST   DONKEY-RIDE. 

When  a  man  who  lias  always  despised  the 
poor  donkey  finds  himself  upon  the  back  of  one 
of  these  animals,  capering  through  the  narrow 
slippery  streets  of  some  oriental  city,  he  has  a 
vivid  perception  of  the  ludicrousness  of  his  posi- 
tion. Legions  of  donkeys  are  found  in  front  of 
hotels,  and  in  the  public  resorts  of  all  the  Egyp- 
tian cities.  When  the  donkey  is  hired,  the 
owner  runs  behind  and  pounds  the  beast  with  a 
club,  or  pricks  him  with  a  sharp  goad.  The 
saddle  is  easy,  and  the  riding  is  very  pleasant. 
The  driver,  however,  who  is  unaccustomed  to  the 
perverse  habits  of  the  creature,  must  be  careful 
that  he  is  not  thrown  over  the  head  of  the  beas;. 
and  landed  in  the  street  with  a  broken  nose. 

Our  travellers  descended  the  stairs,  crossed  tin.- 
quadrangle,  passed  through  the  gate-way,  and 
found  about  fifty  donkeys  ranged  in  front  of  tlio 
hotel.  It  had  been  rumored  about  that  a  new 
party  had  come,  and  the  boys  who  had  donkeys 
to  let  had  gathered  themselves.     As  soon  as  they 


90  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

saw  the  gentlemen  approach,  tliey  began  to  recom- 
mend their  beasts  in  broken  English. 

"  Take  this  donkey  !  "  cried  one. 

"  Here  a  good  donkey  —  he  do,"  cried  another. 

"  This  be  real  right  donkey,"  cried  another. 

"  Here  is  English  Snooks  donkey,"  shouted 
the  next. 

"  This  is  Yankee  Doodle  donkey,"  vehemently 
vociferated  the  next. 

The  party  were  almost  bewildered  with  the 
earnestness  of  the  boys,  and  stood  laughing  at 
them. 

"  I'll  take  Yankee  Doodle,"  said  Walter. 

"  I'll  have  English  Snooks,"  cried  Harry. 

Soon  the  whole  party  were  mounted,  and  ir 
high  glee  scampering  through  the  streets  of 
Grand  Cairo.  They  had  not  gone  far  before  a 
shout  arrested  the  attention  of  all,  and  on  looking 
back  to  see  what  the  trouble  was,  they  found 
that  Mr.  Dunnallan  and  his  beast  had  been  un- 
able to  agree,  and  both  of  them  being  somewhat 
obstinate,  had,  in  the  contest,  rolled  over  to- 
gether in  the  mire  of  the  street.  When  they 
returned  to  the  place,  they  found  the  man  and 
beast  eying  each  other;  the  former  with  his 
dignity  somewhat  soiled,  and  the  latter  seeming 
glad  that  the  catastrophe  had  occurred. 

Again  mounted,  they  drove  through  the  ba- 
zaars, and  along  the  covered  streets,  into  which 


THE  FIRST   DONKEY-KIDE.  91 

it  was  almost  impossible  for  the  rays  of  the  sun 
to  penetrate,  until  they  reached  the  mosque  of 
Mohammed  AH,  —  one  of  the  first  structures  of 
the  kind  on  the  jxlobe.  The  children  were  about 
to  enter  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  party, 
when  several  Mussulmans  stopped  them,  jab- 
bering vehemently  in  an  unknown  tongue. 

"  Wha*-  is  the  matter,  Walter  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  boy. 

"  We  have  done  somethino;  wroiio; ;  —  see  how 
angry  they  are  !  " 

"  Tiiev  seem  to  be  enraged  at  something  ;  we 
had  better  wait  until  the  folks  come  uj)." 

Soon  the  party  reached  the  gate,  and  the  boys 
found  out  what  the  trouble  was.  The  Moslem 
had  requested  them  to  enter  the  mosque  without 
shoes,  and  the  whole  party,  drawing  off  their 
boots,  crossed  the  court,  passed  by  the  fountains, 
and  entered  the  mosque  in  this  order. 

"Your  white  stockings  look  well,  Walter," 
said  Harry. 

"  Your  blue  socks  don't  look  well  —  there  is  a 
hole  in  the  heel  of  one,"  was  the  retort. 

"  I  am  no  worse  off  than  some  of  the  rest,  for 
there  is  Mr.  Tenant,  with  white  hose  darned 
with  blue  yarn." 

"  I  see  it.  Oh,  how  Minnie  vould  plague 
him  about  it,  if  she  were  here  I  " 

Indeed,   none   of  the   gentlemen   could   boast 


92  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

much,  as  each  one  had  done  his  own  darning 
and  mending,  except  as  Mrs.  Percy  and  Minnie 
had  assisted  them. 

The  mosque  delighted  the  children.  The 
magnificent  dome,  marble  pillars,  the  arches  of 
polished  alabaster,  the  stained  glass,  the  hanging 
lights,  the  swinging  pendants,  the  varied-colored 
mosaics,  all  gave  an  indescribable  charm  to  the 
edifice. 

"  I  wish  I  could  take  a  drawing,"  said  Wal- 
ter. 

"  I  wish  Minnie  was  here  to  see  it,"  added 
Walter. 

^'  So  do  I ;  but  you  must  describe  it  to  her." 

"  Oh,  it  is  indescribable  —  indescribable  !  " 

Mr.  Percy  called  the  boys  to  go  out  into  the 
quadrangle  which  overlooks  the  city.  The  view 
from  there  was  very  fine.  Beneath  them  lay 
the  city,  and  out  beyond  the  desert,  on  the  sands 
of  which  could  be  discerned,  in  the  haze  of  even- 
ing, the  mighty  Pyramids. 

"  Here  occurred,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "  one  of 
those  scenes  which  formed  a  part  of  the  mastei- 
policy  of  Mohammed  Ali,  by  which  he  estab- 
lished himself  in  power,  and  carried  terror  to  the 
Iiearts  of  his  foes." 

"  Please,  Mr.  Percy,  tell  us  what  it  was,"  said 
Harry. 

"  When    he   was    reigning   here,    he   became 


THE   FIRST  DON  KEY-HIDE.  93 

aware  of  a  conspiracy  against  him  on  the  part  of 
the  Mamelukes." 

"  Who  were  they  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  Walter  can  tell  you  while  we  are 
looking  off  upon  the  city." 

"  I  can  tell  him,  for  I  have  read  something 
about  this  race  of"  people." 

"  Go  ahead,  Walter." 

"  The  word  Mameluke,  or  as  the  Arabic  spells 
it,  —  Mr.  Tenant  told  me  yesterday,  —  memalik, 
means  slave,  and  the  Mamelukes  were  formerly 
slaves  imported  into  the  country  to  work  upon 
the  river  or  till  the  land.  At  length  they  in- 
creased in  numbers  and  power,  and  became  mas- 
ters of  the  country.  They  were  wild,  brave 
men,  and  ranged  over  the  whole  land.  They 
were  divided  into  twenty-four  tribes,  gov'erned 
by  beys." 

"  What  is  a  bey  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  —  a  —  I'll  ask  father." 

"  A  bey,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  who  overheard  the 
question  asked  by  Harry,  "  is  a  chief  or  sheik." 

"  I  remember  reading,"  continued  Walter, 
*'  that  when  Napoleon  invaded  Egvpt,  these 
Mamelukes  gathered  against  him,  and  so  brave 
and  courageous  were  they,  that  he  said  — '  Could 
I  unite  the  Mameluke  horse  to  the  French  in- 
fantry, I  should  consider  myself  master  of  the 
world.'  " 


94  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"  There  was  one  thing,"  said  Mr.  Buttei'- 
worth,  "  which  reconciled  the  French  soldiers  to 
Hgiiting  with  these  desperate  men." 

"  What  was  it  ?  "  asked  both  the  boys  at  once. 

"  It  was  this.  The  Mameluke  warriors  car- 
ried all  they  were  worth  npon  their  persons.  In 
addition  to  rich  clothing,  each  one  had  gold  in 
abundance,  in  coins  and  ornaments,  and  the  sol- 
diers who  killed  them,  and  robbed  them  on  the 
field,   made  great  gains." 

"  Now,  fatlier,  tell  us,  what  scene  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Mamelukes  took  place  here." 

"  When  Mohammed  Ali  found  that  this  race 
were  conspiring  against  him,  he  invited  all  their 
leading  men  and  great  warriors  to  a  ban- 
quet here,  and  when  four  hundred  and  seventy 
of  them  had  assembled  in  this  quadrangle  the 
gates  were  locked,  and  a  murderous  fire  poured 
upon  them  by  concealed  Albanian  soldiers." 

"  Were  they  all  killed  ?  " 

••  All  but  one." 

"  How  did  he  escape  ?  " 

"  He  leaped  his  horse  from  the  ramparts  here, 
and  escaped." 

"Did  he?" 

"  His  horse  was  killed  in  the  fall." 

"  What  was  his  name  ?  " 

"  Emin  Bey." 

"  And  what  became  of  the  others  ?  " 


THE  FIRST   DONKEY-RIDE.  95 

"  Wliat  others  ?  " 

"  The  rank  and  file  of  Mamelukes." 

"  They  fled  from  Egypt  as  fast  as  they  could, 
Init  many  of  them  were  massacred." 

"  How  cruel  1  " 

"  Yes,  it  seems  so  ;  but  it  may  have  saved 
life  in  the  end." 

"  How  long  are  you  going  to  stay  here  teach- 
ing the  boys?  "  asked  Dr.  Forrestall. 

"  I  am  ready  to  go  now,"  and  they  moved 
towards  the  gate. 

"  Father,  Father !  "  shouted  Walter,  just  as  the 
gentlemen  were  passing  out. 

"  What,  mv  son  ?  " 

"  Can  you  let  nie  have  some  money  ?  " 

"  Money  ?  Have  you  spent  all  I  gave  you 
the  other  day  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  How  have  you  managed  to  get  rid  of  so 
much  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Don't  know  ?     You  should  know." 

"  Well,  Father,  on  ray  honor  I  don't ;  but  ni}' 
pocket  is  empty.  You  know  the  old  ballad,  don't 
you  ?  " 

"  What  ballad,  Walter  ?  "  asked  Hariy. 

"  Yes,  Walter,  what  ballad  ?  "  joined  in  Mr. 
Allston. 

"  This  is  it :  — 


96  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

*  Mone}'  goes  !   no  one  knows ; 
Where  it  goeth  no  one  showeth  ; 
Here  and  there,  everywhere  ; 
Run,  run  ;  dun,  dun  ; 
Spend,  spend ;  lend,  lend ; 
Flush  to-day,  short  to-morrow  ; 
Notes  to  pay,  borrow,  borrow ; 
So  it  goes,  no  one  knows ; 
Where  it  goeth  no  one  showeth  ! '  " 


"  Ha,  lia  !  ha  !  "  laughed  Mr.  Tenant. 
"  Friend  Percy,  you  should  give  the  boy  some= 
thing  for  that." 

"  Wliat  do  you  want  of  money  now,  my 
son  ?  " 

"  To  buy  an  egg." 


An  egg ' 


"  Yes,  Sir,  an  alabaster  egg." 

"  Oh,  I  see,  of  that  man  who  has  specimens  of 
alabaster  such  as  the  interior  of  the  mosque  is 
finished  with,  turned  into  the  shape  of  an  egg." 

"  Well,  here  is  some  change.  Make  as  good 
a  bargain  as  you  can  ;  —  get  one  for  Harry,  also 
one  for  Minnie." 

"  Yes,  Sir,  I  thought  of  Minnie." 

The  company  put  on  their  boots,  and  again 
mounted  their  donkeys,  and  scampered  off  tow- 
ards the  city.  On  their  way  they  came  to  a 
great  crowd  of  j)eople  around  a  man  who  was 
performing  some  feats  of  legerdemain. 

"  What  is  he  doing  ?  "  asked  Walter. 


THE  FIRST   DONKEY-RIDE.  97 

**  I  will  see,"  answered  Harry. 

Driving  their  donkeys  up  into  the  crowd  and 
standing  up  in  the  stirrups,  they  discovered  that 
the  man  had  a  basket,  and  by  it  he  turned  snakes 
into  doves,  and  toads  into  rabbits,  or  appeared  to 
do  so.  The  boys  enjoyed  the  sport,  understanding 
that  it  was  a  trick,  they  having  seen  some  such 
things  at  home.  They  remained  until  called 
away  by  the  gentlemen,  who  were  not  much 
interested.  Directing  their  way  towards  the 
hotel,  they  were  soon  running  along,  having 
a  jolly  time.  During  this  ride  an  incident  oc- 
curred, which  I  will  give  in  Walter's  own 
words,  as  he  wrote  them  in  his  Journal  that 
night :  — 

"  On  our  way  home  a 
laughable  incident  occurred  which  for  a  time 
threatened  to  be  disagreeable  as  well  as  ludicrous. 
While  we  were  in  a  long,  narrow,  slippery  street, 
we  became  excited  with  the  novelty  of  our  posi- 
tion, and  drove  much  faster  than  it  was  safe  to 
do  with  such  animals.  Having  got  in  advance  of 
all  the  rest  with  Rector  Allston,  he  began  to  whip 
and  punch  his  donkey  to  get  ahead  of  mo  ;  and 
driving  up  so  close  to  me  that  I  was  afraid  we 
should  come  in  collision,  I  turned  out  to  the  right, 
and  quite  unfortunately  just  at  that  moment  there 
was  a  boy  comino-  alonir  with  two  larjie  baskets 

of  vegetables,  one  on  each  side  of  a  donkey,  who 

7 


98  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

was  staggering  under  the  load.  A  contact  took 
place  !  Quicker  than  I  can  write  it  the  donkey 
witli  his  vegetables  was  pitched  over  in  one  di 
rection,  and  my  donkey  with  his  load — of  vegeta 
bles  I  had  almost  said  —  was  pitched  out  in  tha 
other  direction.  Behind,  were  thirty  or  forty  ex- 
asperated beasts,  ridden  by  as  many  half  crazy 
men,  and  to  save  myself  from  being  trampled  to 
death,  I  let  my  donkey  go,  and  crept  out  the  best 
way  I  could.  My  cap  fell  off,  and  my  watch 
tumbled  out  of  my  pocket,  but  held  by  the  guard 
I  did  not  lose  it.  Mr.  Allston  was  uncivil  enough 
to  laugh  at  me,  and  told  the  rest  how  comical  I 
looked  as  I  crept  away  from  the  fallen  beast.  I 
hope  he  will  have  some  kind  of  a  ludicrous  ad- 
venture before  we  get  through,  though  this  wish 
is  not  a  return  of  good  for  evil." 

The  boy  who  drove  the  donkey  on  which 
Walter  rode,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  down, 
came  and  took  him  up,  and  showered  upon  him 
all   kinds  of  opprobrious  epithets. 

"  Bad  donkey,  fall  down." 

"  No  matter,"  Walter  said. 

But  he  continued  to  make  up  faces  at  the  poor 
brute,  whose  reputation  for  future  days  he  feared 
might  be  injured. 

When  the  party  reached  the  hotel,  Walter 
told  Minnie  and  his  mother  all  they  had  seen  ; 
described  the  mosque,  and  spoke  of  a  well  called 


THE  FIRST  DONKEY-RIDE.  99 

"  Joseph's  Well,"  said  to  be  two  hundred  ana 
eighty  feet  deep,  and  twenty-five  feet  square,  and 
which  some  have  said  was  built  by  Joseph  him- 
self, while  he  was  prince  in  this  land.  So  ended 
this  first  donkey-ride  in  Egypt.  It  was  to  both 
of  the  boys  a  most  exciting  and  interesting  ex- 
cursion, and  they  will  not  forget  it  for  a  long 
time.  Harry  was  much  pleased  that  his  donkey 
did  not  fall  down,  and  plagued  Walter  for  the 
accident  which  happened  to  him. 


100  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   MOSQUES. 

Walter,  who  was  always  accustomed  to  at- 
tend church  and  Sabbath-school  at  home,  and 
who  always  carried  abroad  with  him  the  relig- 
ious habits  which  he  had  cultivated  from  his 
earliest  years,  was  much  interested  in  the  wor-> 
ship  of  the  Mahometans.  One  day  while  walk- 
ing out  with  his  father,  mother,  sister,  and  some 
of  the  other  members  of  the  party,  his  attention 
was  arrested  by  a  peculiar  cry. 

"  What  is  that  ?  he  asked. 

"  What,  my  son  ?  " 

"  The  noise  I  hear,  as  of  a  distant  commotion 
and  outcry  ?  "  ^ 

"  That  is  the  Muezzin." 

«  What  is  that.  Sir  ?  " 

"  The  call  to  prayer." 

"  Where  are  they  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  see  ?  " 

"No,  Sir." 

"  Look  up  to  the  minaret  of  that  mosque  there." 

**  Yes,  I  see  two  or  three  men  walking  about 


THE  MOSQUES.  101 

there,  pacing  round  the  minaret  in  tliat  little 
gallery." 

"  They  are  calling  the  Mahometans  to  prayer 
—  this  is  the  hour." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  they  pray  often.  I  see 
them  praying  in  the  streets,  in  the  shops,  and 
everywhere  else.  The  other  day  I  wanted  to 
buy  something  and  went  to  a  store,  and  the  man 
was  praying.  He  took  no  notice  of  me,  but 
went  on  until  he  had  finished  his  devotions." 

"It  was  proper,  if  he  was  sincere,  that  he 
should  attend  to  God  before  you." 

"  What  do  the  Mahometans  believe,  father  ?  " 
"  I  will  tell  you  some  other  time,  when  we 
have  a  better  opportunity." 

"  Won't  you  visit  some  of  the  mosques  to-day?  " 
"  Yes,  if  the  rest  of  the  party  agree." 
The  gentlemen  on  being  consulted  agreed, 
and  pursued  their  v.ay  to  several  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  these  temples  of  Islam.  The 
first  was  the  mosque  of  Mohammed  Ali,  which 
they  had  visited  before,  and  which  they  again 
entered  with  shoeless  feet.  Around  the  grand 
fountain  in  the  centre  of  the  court  were  several 
men  washing  themselves,  and  so  singular  were 
their  manners  that  the  attention  of  the  younger 
members  of  the  party  was  drawn  to  them. 

"What   are   they  doing?"  asked  Walter   of 
Mr.  Allston,  who  was  walking  with  him. 


I?S  WALTER   IN  EGYPT. 

"  They  are  washing,  preparatory  to  entering 
the  tnosque.  A  large  part  of  the  worship  of  the 
Mahometans  consists  of  these  ablutions." 

The  boys  watched  the  devotees  for  some  time 
and  then  followed  on  to  the  mosque,  in  admira- 
tion of  which  they  were  soon  lost.  On  leaving 
this  stmcture,  they  all  went  to  the  mosque  of 
Sultan  Hassan,  where  instead  of  going  in  with 
bare  feet^  they  were  provided  with  over-shoes  of 
matting.  They  found  the  mosque  to  be  well 
worth  a  a  <sit,  for  its  peculiar  style  of  architecture 
which  is  very  grand  and  imposing.  The  party 
would  then  have  gone  home,  but  Walter  urged 
so  hard  that  they  concluded  to  see  one  more  of 
the  structures,  and  went  to  the  mosque  of  Ahmed 
Ebn  e'  Tooloon,  built  in  the  year  879.  This 
mosque  contains  two  pillars  which  interested  the 
boys  very  much.  They  had  heard  of  them  be- 
fore, and  no  sooner  had  they  entered  than  they 
began  to  search  for  them. 

"  Here  they  are,"  said  Harry,  after  they  had 
been  searching  for  some  time. 

"  Where  ?  " 

Harry  pointed  to  two  pillars  standing  on  a 
pedestal,  about  seven  and  a  half  inches  apart. 
It  is  said  by  the  Mahometans  that  heaven  is 
promised  to  all  who  can  pass  between  these 
posts.  The  gentlemen  soon  coming  up,  Walter 
questioned  them. 


THE  MOSQUES.  103 

"  Wliy  (lid   Mahomet   promise  heaven   to  all 
who    should    pass    between    these    pillars,    Mr 
Tenant  ? " 

"I  don't  know." 

*'  Do  you,  father  ?  " 

"  It  is  supposed  that  the  promise  was  made 
to  encourage  temperance  in  eating  and  drinking ; 
the  prophet  supposing  that  the  most  abstemious 
only  could  go  through." 

"  Then  if  we  go  through,  we  shall  receive  the 
prophet's  heaven  ?  " 

"  Yes,  if  his  promise  was  worth  anything." 

"  Who  shall  try  first  ?     Go  it,  Harry." 

Harry  went  through  with  perfect  ease,  saying, 
"  There,  I  knew  I  could.     Now  try,  Walter." 

Walter  passed   the  test,  and  went  through. 

"  Now  try,  father." 

Mr.  Percy,  who  was  somewhat  portly,  tried, 
but  could  not  succeed,  and  soon  gave  it  up. 
Mr.  AUstou,  who  was  a  thin,  spare  man,  found 
no  difficulty.  Dr.  Forrestall,  who  was  the  stout- 
est man  of  the  party,  would  not  try  it  —  it  was 
no  use.  Mr.  Dann-ell  went  through;  Mr.  Dunn- 
alian  failed.  Mr.  Tenant  took  off  his  coat,  and 
very  nearly  squeezed  himself  through.  He  was 
a  determined  man,  and  was  bont  on  doing  it, 
but  the  attempt  was  vain.  He  could  almost 
do  it. 

"  There,  there,  one  more  effort  and  you  are 


104  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

throngh,"  enthusiastically  cried  Walter,  clapping 
his  hands. 

"  Squeeze  a  little  harder  —  now,  there  — 
hip  !  "  shouted  Harry. 

But  Mr.  Tenant  failed,  declaring  that  he 
could  go  through,  if  he  had  one  rib  less.  Mr. 
Butterworth  got  through  with  much  difficulty, 
but  declared  that  he  cared  not  a  fig  for  the 
prophet's  promise  or  his  paradise. 

This  trial  furnished  the  boys,  and  the  gentle- 
men as  well,  with  much  amusement,  and  for 
many  days  after,  Mr.  Tenant  was  joked  for  his 
unsuccessful  endeavor  to  get  through. 

The  guide  who  was  with  the  party  at  this 
time,  pointed  out  a  stone,  under  which  he  said 
Gabriel  hid  the  Koran,  and  where  Mahomet 
found  it. 

"  Do  you  believe  that,  father  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  No,  child." 

"  Do  the  Mahometans  esteem  the  Koran  as 
we  do  the  Bible?" 

"  More  highly,  I  think.  Among  them  there 
is  none  of  the  irreverence  which  we  often  see 
with  the  Bible.  The  book  itself  is  kept  with 
the  greatest  reverence.  None  but  the  pure  are 
allowed  to  read  it,  and  when  the  Moslems  hear 
it,  they  always  put  themselves  in  devout  and 
reverential  positions." 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  the  Koran  ?  " 


THE  MOSQUES.  105 

"  Yes,  I  have  read  it,  and  there  is  a  copy  in 
my  hbrary  at  home." 

"  Oh,  I  shall  read  it  with  so  much  interest 
wlien  I  return  home." 

The  party  now  left  the  mosque,  and  on  getting 
out,  found  some  donkeys,  which  they  mounted, 
and  went  trotting  about  the  city.  It  was  won- 
derful to  Walter  to  see  how  the  boys  could 
endure  so  much  fatigue.  They  would  follow 
the  rider  hour  after  hour  without  seeming  to  be 
weary,  and  at  times  the  donkey  would  give  out 
entirely,  while  the  boy  would  be  fresh  and  vig- 
orous. Walter  remembered  to  have  read  what 
was  written  by  an  intelligent  physician  who 
travelled  here,  concerning  these  men  and  boys, 
and  afterward  repeated  it  to  Harry,  somewhat  as 
follows :  "  The  drivers  run  from  morning  till 
night, -thumping  and  pricking  the  animals  every 
few  steps,  keeping  up  without  apparent  fatigue. 
I  have  known  a  driver  stop  on  the  way  to  drink 
a  cup  of  coffee,  and,  perhaps,  aft^erwards  smoke  a 
pipe,  while  the  donkeys  were  going  off  at  a  satis- 
factory speed,  trotting  and  galloping  alternately  ; 
and  yet  he  would  come  on,  ruiming  in  a  hotter 
sun  than  we  have  in  July,  Avithout  any  apj^ear- 
anco  of  unusual  exertion  or  fatigue.  They  fare 
poorly,  —  breakfasting  on  a  loaf  of  soft  millet 
bread,  and  drinking  water.  They  rarely  taste 
meat ;  and  the  only  stimulus   they  ever  indulge 


106  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

in  is  a  small  cup  of  coffee,  the  size  of  half  an  egg- 
shell, made  thick  as  chocolate,  and  without  sugar  or 
milk."  The  same  physician  remarked,  —  though 
Walter  did  not  recollect  it,  —  that  his  observa- 
tions on  this  class  of  men  had  convinced  him 
that  the  coarser  the  diet,  and  the  more  actively 
the  muscles  are  employed,  the  freer  they  are  fi'om 
organic  derangements,  from  chronic  affections, 
and  the   liability  to  acute  diseases. 

As  they  rode  along  they  saw  a  boy  in  the 
hands  of  the  officers.  A  crowd  was  following  on 
behind,  and  the  poor  lad  was  weeping  and  wail- 
ing as  if  his  heart  would  break.  The  sympathy 
of  Walter  was  quickly  enlisted,  and  he  wanted 
to  follow,  but  his  father  would  not  allow  him. 
With  great  reluctance  he  was  drawn  away. 

A  new  object  soon  drew  his  attention,  and  he 
rode  up  to  the  door  of  a  house,  followed  by 
Harry. 

"  What  is  this,  Harry  ?  " 

"  A  bear-garden,  I  should  think." 

The  room  had  grated  windows,  and  was  about 
t\yenty-five  feet  square.  In  the  centre  sat  a  man 
on  a  mat,  and  around  him  some  thirty  or  forty 
children.  The  man  had  a  long  palm-leaf  stick 
in  his  hand,  and  every  now  and  then  he  would 
lay  it  without  mercy  over  the  heads  and  shoul- 
ders of  the  children,  who  were  all  talking  or 
reading    aloud.     Some    of    the   boys    had    little 


THE  MOSQUES.  107 

pieces  of  board  in  their  hands,  which  they 
seemed  to  be  using  for  slates. 

"  Whack !  whack  !  whack !  "  went  the  long 
stick. 

"  What  a  brute !  "  cried  Walter. 

"Whom  does  he  remind  you  of?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  Of  nobody  that  I  know." 

"  He  reminds  me  of  somebody  I  know." 

"  Who  ?  " 

"  Of  old  Falkner." 

"  That  is  too  bad,  Harry." 

"  No,  it  is  not." 

"  Mr.  Falkner  is  a  kind  man,  and  both  of  us 
owe  him  much.  But  is  it  possible  that  this  is  a 
school?" 

'  It  can't  be  anything  else." 

"  How  amused  Mr.  Falkner,  our  good  old 
teacher.,   would  be  to  see  this  I  " 

The  gentlemen,  who  had  been  purchasing 
some  fez  caps  opposite,  now  came  over,  and 
stood  looking  into  the  school,  for  such  it  proved 
to  be  —  an  Egyptian  school.  The  teacher  be- 
came indignant  at  being  thus  observed,  and  came 

or?  ' 

and  drew  some  blinds,  and  shut  them  out,  and 
they  drove  off". 

That  our  boy-readei's  may  contrast  the  schools 
of  Egypt  with  those  at  home,  we  present  a  pic- 
ture drawn  by  another  hand.  A  traveller  in  Cairo 


108  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

happened  to  come  to  the  windows  of  one  of  the.se 
schools  just  as  a  boy  was  about  being  punished, 
and  punishment  it  was  —  stingingly  severe.  "  A 
hirge  boy,"  he  says,  "  sat  in  front  of  the  master, 
reeling  to  and  fro  while  reciting  from  memory, 
and  crying  bitterly  at  the  same  time,  which  par- 
ticulaily  caught  my  attention.  1  therefore  stood 
watchino;  him.  The  retention  of  the  lad's  mem- 
ory  was  perfectly  su»'prising.  He  neither  hesita- 
ted, stammered,  nor  omitted  a  word ;  still  the 
big  tears  rolled  down  his  ruddy  cheeks.  I  be- 
came impatient  to  ascertain  the  cause.  When 
the  recitation  came  to  an  end,  the  master  seized 
him  by  the  collar,  back  of  his  neck,  with  the 
ferocity  of  a  tiger,  and  jerked  him  on  his  face. 
The  boy  struggled,  as  though  it  were  for  life. 
At  the  same  moment,  a  stalwart  Arab,  from  a 
remote  corner,  flew  to  the  spot,  and  seized  the 
legs  of  the  resisting  prisoner,  —  bringing  with 
him  a  stick  the  size  of  his  wrist,  strung  with  two 
cords.  As  it  fell  on  the  floor,  it  bore  some  re- 
semblance to  an  ox-yoke  —  the  cords  entering 
by  both  ends,  like  the  bows.  I  saw  the  object 
was  to  put  the  culprit's  ankles  into  the  loops, 
draw  one  end,  and  thus  hold  both  feet  in  a  vice. 
The  violence  of  the  struggle,  and  the  savage  de- 
termination of  the  two  men,  was  exciting  in  the 
highest  degree, — all  my  sympathies  being  roused 
in  behalf  of  the  "esisting  child.     They  had  not 


THE  MOSQUES.  lOU 

fairly  subdued  him,  when  one  of  them  happened 
to  raise  his  eyes,  and,  for  the  first  time,  saw  me. 
He  let  go  his  hold,  and  slunk  back,  muttenng 
something,  it  was  presumed,  about  hated  Frank. 
All  three  were  afraid,  perhaps,  of  the  evil  eye. 
The  urchin  was  quickly  on  his  feet,  and  walked 
to  his  place.  I  remained  a  while  longer,  with  a 
spii-ited  determination  to  give  them  the  full  in- 
liuence  of  a  stare.  This  incident  led  me  to  be- 
lieve that  infractions  of  the  teachers'  laws  are 
severely  punished  by  the  bastinado.  The  in- 
strument for  binding  the  feet  was  precisely  like 
one  which  we  saw  in  one  of  the  courts." 

They  reached  the  hotel  in  season  for  dinner, 
ind  found  Minnie  and  her  mother,  who  came 
out  with  them  in  the  morning,  but  who  returned 
■several  hours  before,  awaiting  them,  and  soon 
they  were  all  seated  at  the  table,  the  boys  having 
t  most  excellent  appetite. 


110  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    CITY    OF    THE    SUN. 

"  Rap  !  Rap  !  Rap !  "  sounded  on  Walter's 
door  early  one  morning. 

"Who*^ is  there?" 

"  Let  me  in,  Walter,"  and  Minnie's  cheerful 
voice  rung  through  the  room. 

"  Won't  you  wait  until  we  get  up  ?  " 

"  A'n't  you  up  yet?  The  sun  has  been  up  an 
hour." 

"  No  matter ;  the  sun  gets  up  so  early  that  we 
can't  be  guided  by  it  here." 

"  Well,  get  up,  sluggard." 

"  Don't  call  me  harsh  names.  People  that 
live  in  glass  houses  should  not  throw  stones." 

"  But  you  must  get  up  ;  —  is  Harry  dead  ?  " 

"  Not  quite." 

"  What  keeps  the  boy  so  quiet  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  a'n't  half  awake,"  answered  Harry. 
"  Walter  kept  me  awake  half  the  night  talk- 
ing." 

"  Terrible  lad,  he  is  I  He  stuffs  his  head  full 
of  sights  all  day,  and  then  talks  about  them  all 


THE  CITY   OF   THE  SUN.  Ill 

night.  But  get  up,  we  want  to  be  off  in  the 
cool  of  the  day." 

"Off  where?" 

"  I  don't  know,  but  it  is  to  some  outlandish 
place." 

"  What  name  ?  " 

"  He  —  Heli  —  Heli  something." 

"  Oh,  I  know,  —  Heliopolis." 

"  That  is  the  place." 

"  Shall  we  have  a  good  time  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Yes;  —  tell  father  we  will  be  on  hand  soon." 

It  had  been  decided  that  the  party  should  go 
to  Heliopolis  that  day,  and  at  an  early  hour  two 
very  jiretty  barouches  drove  to  the  door  and 
they  all  entered,  amid  a  crowd  of  gaping,  star- 
ing Egyptians.  The  young  travellers  were  very 
much  amused  at  the  way  in  which  they  left  the 
city.  A  courier  went  before  them,  —  a  forerun- 
ner, as  in  ancient  times,  ran  on  foot  about  one 
hundred  vards  ahead  of  the  first  carriage.  He 
wore  a  red  fez  cap,  to  which  was  attached  a 
huffe  blue  silk  tassel.  His  loose  trousers  were 
tied  at  the  knee,  and  his  feet  were  bare.  In  his 
hand  was  a  monstrous  horsewhip,  with  which  he 
lashed  dogs  and  donkeys,  and  even  men  and 
women,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  way.  Right 
in  the  middle  of  the  street  he  ran,  cracking  his 
whip  and  lashing  objects  on  both  sides  of  him  ; 
and  uttering  a  strange,  peculiar  cry,  he  hurried 


112  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

on.  Tliis  forerunner  Is  necessary,  as  in  many  of 
the  streets  two  vehicles  cannot  pass  each  other, 
and  some  one  must  be  in  advance  to  see  that  the 
way  is  clear. 

They  were  soon  out  in  the  open  country,  and 
passing  the  tombs  of  the  Mameluke  kings,  drove 
on  towards  the  site  of  the  ancient  City  of  the 
Sun. 

"  Why  do  you  called  it  the  City  of  the  Sun  ?  " 
asked  Walter. 

"  That  is  the  Greek  meaning  of  the  word 
Heliopolis." 

"  What  took  place  there  ?  " 

"  There  was  then  a  temple  of  the  sun,  which 
was  a  most  magnificent  structure.  The  city  was 
also  the  university  city  of  Egypt,  as  Cambridge 
is  of  England.  Joseph  married  his  wife  at  this 
place,  which  is  sometimes  in  Scripture  called 
'  On ',  and  sometimes  Bethshemesh." 

"  What  was  the  name  of  Joseph's  wife  ?  " 

"  Asenath,  and  her  father  was  priest  or  ruler 
at  On." 

"  Here  is  something  we  must  see,"  snid 
Mr.  Tenant,  speaking  from  the  rear  car- 
riage. 

"  What  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

*'  This  well." 

They  hkd  come  to  one  of  the  wells  which 
abound  in  Egypt,  by  which  the  country  is  fertil- 


THE  CITY  OF  THE  SUN.  113 

izetl.  These  wells  are  very  large,  and  the  water 
is  raised  by  means  of  a  wheel  which  is  turned 
by  a  cow. 

A  long  string  of  earthen  jars  is  moved  up 
and  down  by  means  of  the  wheel,  each  of  which 
will  hold  about  a  gallon.  The  jars  go  down  bot- 
tom up,  and  ascend  by  the  revolution,  filled,  and 
as  they  turn  to  go  down  again  they  pour  their 
contents  into  troughs  or  viaducts  which  carry  the 
water  into  tlie  fields.  These  wells  are  found 
everywhere  in  Egypt ;  and  often  concealed  by 
foliage,  their  peculiar  creaking  sound  can  be 
heard,  making  nuisic  over  all  the  land.  Riding 
on  a  little  farther  they  came  to  some  men  plough- 
ing in  the  fields.  Mr,  Butterworth,  wishing  to 
see  the  plough,  which  v/as  a  very  rude  affair, 
went  into  the  field,  and  takinii  the  instrument 
from  the  furrow  examined  it  very  carefully,  and 
when  he  returned  to  the  carriages,  gave  Walter 
a  very  minute  description  of  it,  which  the  lad 
afterwards  wrote  out  in  his  Journal.  Soon  they 
catne  to  a  threshing  floor,  and  leaving  the  car- 
riages they  went  over  and  examined  the  pro- 
cess of  threshing  the  grain.  The  floor  was  the 
trampled,  hardened  earth.  The  threshino:  insrru- 
niciit  was  a  machine  having  several  rollers  armed 
with  circular  iron  knives  which  cut  the  grain, 
and  mashed  the  stalk,  and  Walter  declared  it  a 
most  absurd  way  of  getting  the  grain  out.  Tliis 
8 


114  WALTER  m  FGTPT. 

machine  was  driven  by  oxen  or  cows  that  swepi 
around  in  a  circle,  driven  hy  an  Egyptian  who 
sat  on  the  machine. 

"  Here  we  are  at  Heliopolis,"  said  Mr.  Percy. 

"  Where  is  it  ?  "  asked  Minnie. 

"  Here  ! " 

"  I  don't  see  any  city." 

"  What  do  you  see  ?  " 

"  A  deep  well,  a  grove  of  mulberry-trees, 
one  of  which  Harry  is  shaking  already,  and  a 
single  tall  obelisk." 

"  This  is  all  there  is  of  the  city." 

"  And  did  we  come  out  so  far  to  see  this,  and 
nothino;  more  ?  " 

"  We  have  been  seeing  all  the  way  along,  and 
this  spot  is  of  much  interest." 

"  Not  to  me.  Pa  ;  so  I'll  go  and  help  Harry 
pick  mulberries,"  and  off  she  ran. 

Walter  was  more  interested  in  the  locality. 
He  wanted  to  know  all  about  the  old  city.  His 
father  told  him  all  that  was  known ;  that  the  ori- 
gin of  the  place  Avas  lost  in  the  remotest  anti- 
quity ;  that  it  came  to  maturity  and  began  to 
decline  at  least  six  hundred  years  before  Christ 
came  into  our  world  ;  that  it  was  famed  for  its 
universities,  in  whose  halls  Solon,  Eudoxus,  and 
Plato  studied. 

"  And  what  is  this  shaft  ?  " 

"  It  is  supposed  to  be  a  part  of  the  ancient 


THE  CITY   OF  THE  SUN.  115 

Temple  of  the  Sun,  and  is  inscribed  with  the 
name  of  Osirtasen  I." 

"  Who  was  he  ?  " 

"  Not  much  is  known  about  him,  but  he  is 
sii[)[)osed  to  be  the  king  who  ruled  when  Joseph 
came  down  to  Egypt." 

"  I  tliought  his  name  was  Pharaoh  ?  " 

"  Fliaraoh  is  the  Egyptian  word  for  king. 
Every  king  was  a  pharaoh ;  it  was  a  title  rather 
than  a  name." 

"  Oil,  yes,  I  understand.  The  same  as  '  czar' 
is  the  name  by  which  the  emperors  of  Russia  are 
known  to  us." 

"  Yes.  '  Czar '  means  king  or  lord,  and  as 
the  title  of  the  emperor  dates  from  the  sixteenth 
century." 

Thus  conversing  about  the  history  of  the  place, 
the  father  and  son  spent  an  hour.  Mr.  Percy 
took  a  seat  by  the  well,  and  enjoyed  the  cool 
shade.  Harry  and  Minnie  paid  attention  to  the 
mulberries,  which  were  ripe  and  delicious.  The 
rest  of  the  party  wandered  about  in  other  direc- 
tions as  their  tastes  inclined  them. 

On  their  return  home  they  came  to  a  beautiful 
garden  full  of  roses,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  a 
tree,  towards  which  attention  was  soon  directed. 

"  What  of  that  old  tree?  "  asked  Minnie. 

*'  It  is  Mary's  tree,"  replied  her  mother. 

"  I  don't  kno  V  any  better  now." 


116  WALTER  IN  EGfPT. 

"  It  is  said  that  tliis  tree  is  two  thousand  years 
old ;  that  when  Joseph  and  Mary  fled  with  the 
infant  Saviour  into  Egypt,  the  Virgin  Mother 
rested  here  while  her  babe  slept." 

"How  old  is  it?" 

"  I  cannot  tell." 

"  What  kind  of  a  tree  is  it  ?  " 

"  Tlie  sycamore." 

"  What  is  the  time  required  to  bring  such  a 
tree  to  maturity  ?  " 

"  It  takes  several  centuries  to  bring  the  syca- 
more to  perfection,  and  the  maturity  of  this  tree 
passed  long  ago." 

"•  It  may  liave  been,  then,  the  same  tree  under 
which  the  mother  of  Christ  sat." 

"  It  may  have  been,  but  the  thing  is  very  im- 
probable. However,  as  you  are  told  so,  you 
need  not  trouble  yourself  with  doubts,  as  nothing 
depends  on  it  but  the  story." 

"  See,  mother,  wliat  are  Walter  and  Harry 
doing  ?  " 

"  Measuring  the  tree." 

'•  How  much  does  it  measure,  Harry  ?  " 

"  Walter  can  tell  you  ;  he  has  the  figures." 

"  It  measures,"  said  Walter,  "  twenty-four 
feet  in  circumference ;  its  branches  overhang  a 
diameter  of  about  fifty  feet,  and  its  tallest 
branches  are  more  than  seventy  feet  high,  if  I 
can  judge  right." 


THE   CITY    OF   THE   SUN.  117 

"  What  is  Harry  climbing  up  into  it  for  ?  " 

The  question  was  not  answered,  l)ut  the  rea- 
son was  soon  very  obvious,  for  the  boy  was  at 
work  vigorously  cutting  his  name  in  one  of  the 
I  Hunches. 

"  Walter,"  he  cried. 

-  What  say  ?  " 

"  There  are  thousands  of  names  here,  cut  on 
all  the  limbs.  There  is  scarcely  a  spot  on  any 
(»f.the  lower  branches  where  room  is  left  for  a 
dozen  words.  Several  Americans  have  left  their 
names  here.     Shall  I  cut  yours  ?" 

''  Yes,  if  you  please." 

"  And  mine,  too,"  said  Minnie. 

"  Come,  come,  we  are  ready  to  start,"  called 
out  Mr.  Percy. 

Just  as  they  were  leaving  the  garden,  a  wo- 
man who  seemed  to  have  charge  of  the  premises 
came  and  gave  each  of  them  a  beautiful  bouquet. 
Minnie  so(m  picked  hers  to  pieces,  but  Walter 
pressed  his  between  the  leaves  of  a  book,  and  has 
it  to  this  day. 

From  the  garden  they  rode  back  to  Cairo. 
Minnie  amused  herself  as  thev  rode  aloiiix,  in 
watching;  the  women,  who  were  dressed  in  a 
most  amusing  style.  The  little  girl  was  very 
much  surprised  that  they  should  all  have  their 
faces  covered,  not  with  a  veil  as  our  ladies,  bui 
with  a  thick  cloth,  covering  everything  but  tlif 
eves. 


118  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  They  look  like  walking  ghosts,"  she  said. 

"  I  cannot  tell  whether  they  are  pretty  or 
homely,"  said  Walter. 

"  I  cannot  tell  whether  they  are  black  or 
white,"  added  Harry.  "  All  I  can  see  is  two 
bright,  piercing  black  eyes." 

Just  as  they  were  entering  the  gates,  the  car- 
riages stopped,  and  Mr.  Percy  bought  of  a  wo- 
man one  of  the  veils,  which  had  attached  to  it 
some  gilt  nose  ornaments,  at  which  the  young 
folks  made  themselves  quite  merry. 

"  Minnie,  just  listen,"  said  Walter. 

"To  what?" 

*'  While  I  read  a  description,  in  this  book, 
of  these  veiled  Egyptian  women,  by  a  late  trav- 
eller throuo-h  this  remon." 

"  Read  on.     Don't  be  long  about  it." 

"  '  Very  many  Levantine  females  were  riding 
on  donkeys,  astride,  enveloped  in  monstrous 
black  silk  cloaks.  Their  knees  being  raised  to 
a  level  with  the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  and  the 
cloaks  immensely  inflated  by  the  wind,  their 
appearance,  preceded  by  a  black  slave,  cracking 
a  whip  to  clear  the  way,  was  indescribably  ludi- 
crous. Their  faces  were  covered  to  the  eyes 
with  white  veils,  suspended  from  the  middle  of 
the  forehead,  —  a  cord  coming  down  on  a  line 
with  the  nose,  from  a  band  that  crosses  the  head. 
Some  have  a  series  of  short  brass  tubes,  strung 


THE   CITY   OF  THE  SUN.  119 

together,  constituting  a  heavy  chain,  to  sustain 
the  weight  of  the  veil.  Levantines  are  those 
born  in  Egypt,  or  the  East,  of  foreign  parentage. 
Many  of  them  are  Christians,  who  conform  to 
some  of  tlie  pecuHar  institutions  of  the  Mahom- 
etans. Wearing  a  veil  is  a  custom  as  old  as 
the  days  of  Abraliara,  and,  no  doubt,  of  a  more 
remote  antiquity.  Some  of  the  ladies  had  fair 
complexions  ;  but  a  majority  were  rather  sal- 
low, with  piercing  black  eyes,  short  in  stature, 
and  fat.  Even  the  black  female  slaves,  who 
accompany  them  in  riding  or  walking,  were 
veiled  in  the  same  manner.  It  was  sometimes 
dilKcult  to  determine  what  the  color  of  the  in- 
dividual was,  so  closely  were  the  corners  of  the 
veil  drawn  down.  Little  girls  —  ragged,  bare- 
legged, and  scarcely  covered  to  hide  their  naked- 
ness —  begin  at  eight  and  nine  years  to  resort 
to  the  veil,  which  demonstrates  the  deep  and 
abiding  force  of  the  custom.  An  occasional  mis- 
hap exposes  the  face,  but  rarely;  and  some,  in- 
dicating a  natural  coquetry  of  the  sex,  raise  one 
side,  exposing  one  eye,  either  for  a  better  view 
fr.r  themselves,  or  for  exhibiting  the  antimonial 
lines  of  beauty  they  have  made  about  tJK'  mar- 
gins of  the  eyelids.'  " 

"  That  is  a  good  descrii)tion,  Bub,  of  what  we 
have  seen,  only  we  could  not  tell  whether  the 
v\-omen  are  of  fair  complexion  or  not." 


120  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  We  must  guess  at  that  from  the  eyes." 

The  carriages  now  stopped  suddenly,  ahnost 
jerking  the  occupants  out,  and  they  found 
themselves  in  front  of  the  Hotel  tZ'  Orient. 

"Dinner  ready,"  said  an  English  servant  — 
for  such  are  found,  even  in  Egypt. 

"  So  are  we,"  answered  several  of  the  com- 
pany. 

Leaving  them  in  preparation  for  dinner,  we 
let  the  party  take  care  of  themselves,  while 
with  the  reader  we  turn  to  another  chapter,  in 
which  the  story  of  the  Pyramids  is  told. 


CLIMBING  THE  PYRAMIDS.  121 


CHAPTER  X. 

CLIMBING    THE    PYRAMIDS. 

It  is  quite  an  exploit  to  climb  the  pyramids 
which  have  stood  so  loner  amid  the  sands  of  the 
desert.  The  whole  party  had  looked  forward  to 
it  with  much  pleasure,  and  when  the  moiniiio; 
came  for  the  excursion,  they  were  all  up,  and 
had  breakfasted,  and  were  in  the  saddle  long  be- 
fore sunrise.  It  was  arranged  that  Mrs.  Percy 
and  Minnie  should  ride  out  with  the  others,  and 
see  the  monster  piles,  and  rest  at  the  base  in  care 
of  the  guide,  while  the  party  should  go  up.  Wal 
ter  had  the  "  Yankee  Doodle  donkey,"  and  Harry 
had  "Snooks,"  while  the  others  were  all  well 
mounted.  They  drove  leisurely  through  the  city, 
—  by  the  granaries  erected  by  Joseph,  so  they  were 
told, — until  they  reached  the  Nile.  Here  a  large 
boat  was  chartered  to  take  the  whole  party  over. 
She  was  an  awkward,  clumsy  thing,  and  Walter 
named  her  "  The  Constitution."  A  plank  was 
laid  from  the  shore  to  the  boat,  and  the  donkevs 
driven  in  ;  then  the  donkey-boys  were  embarked, 
then  our  party  got  aboard.     The  Arabs  yelled, 


122  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

the  donkeys  brayed,  and  tlie  boys  shouted,  and 
after  a  great  deal  of  trouble  the  shapeless  vessel 
started.  Partly  witii  sail,  and  partly  with  oars, 
the  other  side  was  gained  in  almost  an  hour,  the 
boat  having  passed  by  the  island  Rhoda,  where, 
tradition  says,  the  ark  in  which  Moses  was  put 
by  his  mother,  was  found  by  the  daughter  of 
Pharaoh.  Of  this  island  we  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  elsewhere. 

On  reaching  the  other  side,  the  donkeys  were 
got  out  of  the  boat,  and  the  party  again  mounted 
and  rode  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  Cairo  to  the 
Pyramids.  As  they  came  near  the  structures, 
a  crowd  of  men  came  running  towards  them, 
and  offering  their  services  as  assistants  in  climb- 
ing  to  the  top.  But  their  offers  were  rejected. 
On  arriving,  terms  Avere  made  with  the  sheik 
of  Ghizeh  who  contracted  that  each  traveller 
should  have  three  men  to  help  him  up,  and  a  boy 
to  carry  a  jar  of  water ;  each  assistant  was  to  have 
a  half-dollar,  and  the  boy  a  quarter.  A  couch 
was  made  under  the  shadow  of  a  rock  for  Mrs. 
Percy  and  Minnie,  and  the  guide  was  charged 
to  remain  by  them.  Then  three  excellent  Arabs 
were  picked  out  for  Walter,  and  three  others  for 
Harry.  Mr.  Tenant  went  up  first,  without 
much  difficulty ;  Mr.  Damrell  followed.  Then 
the  two  boys  were  started,  and  all  reached  the  top 
in  safety.     Dr.  Forreslall,  Mr.  Allston,  and  Mr 


CUMB8NC  THE  FYRAMSJDS. 


CLIMBING  THE  PYRAMIDS.  123 

Duiinallan  liad  some  trouble  with  their  servants. 
Mr.  Allstou  reached  the  top  frightened  half  out 
of  liis  senses,  and  one  or  two  of  the  others  were 
obliged  to  give  backshish  to  the  servants  to  get 
them  along. 

The  reader  may  ask  why  it  is  so  difficult  to 
climb  tlie  Pyramids.  A  description  will  answer 
the  question.  The  Pyramids  stand  on  the  very 
edge  of  the  desert.  The  largest  is  called  Cheops, 
and  that  our  travellers  ascended.  Tliere  are 
thr-ee  large,  and  three  small,  structures.  Ranges 
of  tombs,  and  the  mj-sterious  colossal  Sphinx 
are  near  by.  Clieops  covers  an  area  of  571,538 
square  feet ;  the  length  of  each  side  is  756  feet : 
the  original  perpendicular  height  was  480  feet, 
but  the  upper  20  feet  have  been  removed,  leaving 
a  level  at  the  top  about  30  feet  square.  The 
solid  contents  are  85,000,000  cubic  feet.  One 
traveller  says :  "  Cheops  would  fill  the  whole 
length  of  Washington  Square  in  New  York,  and 
exceed  its  breadth  by  one  half,  and  would  rise 
nearly  200  feet  higher  than  the  spire  of  Trinity 
Church."  Another  asks:  "  Have  you  ever  st(M)d 
in  tiie  centre  of  a  twelve-acre  lot.?  Mark  olf 
in  your  mind's  plantation  twelve  acres,  and  cover 
the  ground  with  layers  of  huge  hewn  stone,  so 
nicely  fitted  that  the  joints  can  scarcely  be  dis- 
cerned. Ov^er  this  platform,  but  two  feet  within 
the  outer  edge,  put  on  another  layer,  and  another, 


124  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

leaving  but  a  single  narrow  passage  into  a  lew 
small  chambers  in  the  far  interior  of  this  im- 
mense mass,  that  rises  by  gradually  diminishing 
layers  as  it  ascends,  till  it  reaches  an  apex  twice 
the  heiglit  of  the  loftiest  church  spire  in  Kew 
York,  and  you  have  some  idea  of  the  outer  di- 
mensions of  the  Great  Pyramid."  And  one  othei 
who  has  waded  in  the  sand  around  Cheops  says,- 
"  that,  taking  a  hundred  New  York  churches  of 
the  ordinary  width,  and  arrangino;  them  in  a 
hollow  square,  twenty-five  on  a  side,  you  would 
have  scarcely  the  basement  of  this  Pyramid. 
Take  another  hundred  and  throw  in  their  mate- 
rial into  the  hollow  square,  and  it  would  not  be 
full.  Pile  on  all  the  stone  and  brick  of  Phil- 
adelphia and  Boston,  and  the  structure  would 
not  be  as  high  and  solid  as  this  greatest  work 
of  man.  One  layer  of  block  was  loner  since  re- 
moved  to  Cairo  for  building  purposes,  and  enough 
remains  to  supply  the  demands  of  a  city  of  half 
a  million  of  people  for  a  century,  if  they  were 
permitted  freely  to  use  it." 

Up  Cheops  they  went.  The  steps  were  often 
very  narrow  and  the  risers  very  high,  and  heie 
the  climbing  was  very  fatiguing  and  dangerous. 
Our  party  went  up  at  one  corner,  pursuing  a  zig- 
zag course,  and  winding  round  the  corner,  back 
and  forth  as  they  ascended. 

It  is  common  for  tiiese  Arabs  to  take  a  traveUei 


CLIMBING  THE   PYRAMIDS.  125 

half  way  up,  one  hold  of  each  hand,  and  the 
other  pushing  behind,  and  then  demand  hach- 
sMsh.  The  day  before  a  party  of  Englishmen 
had  gone  up,  and  had  given  all  the  money  they 
had  about  them,  to  be  taken  safely  down.  Mr. 
Percy  had  quite  an  experience  going  up,  which 
we  will  relate.  His  Arab  guides  started  up 
singing  a  sort  of  doggerel  in  broken  English  as 
folh/ws : — 

American  gentleman,  he  very  good, 

He  pay  backshish : 
American  gentleman,  go  to  the  top  of  the  pyramid, 

He  pay  backshish: 
American  gentleman,  go  into  the  King's  Chamber, 

He  pay  backshish : 
American  gentleman,  go  Into  the  Queen's  Chamber, 

He  pay  backshish: 
American  gentleman,  see  all  there  is  to  see. 

He  pay  backshish. 

When  about  one  fourth  the  way  up,  they  asked 
him  to  sit  down  and  rest,  declaring  him  to  be  the 
heaviest  man  they  had  ever  taken  up,  at  the 
same  time  asking  for  money.  Not  being  disposed 
to  yield  to  this  demand,  Mr.  Percy  sprang  to  his 
feet,  and  began  leaping  up  the  rocks  almost  with- 
out their  assistance,  determined  to  give  them  no 
occasion  to  complain  of  his  extraordinary  weight. 
But  soon  they  wanted  him  to  rest  again,  and  on 
pretence  of  rubbing  his  leg?  to  prevent  lameness, 


126  '       WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

one  of  tliem  began  feeling  for  liia  pockets,  and 
when  his  fingers  fell  on  the  gentleman's  purse, 
he  shouted:  — 

"  Gold  !    gold  !    money  I    backshish  I  '* 

"  No  backshish  for  you." 

"  Give  us  backshish.''^ 

"  No,  I  will  not." 

"  Backshish  !    backshish  !  " 

'•  Not  a  penny." 

"  Money  !    gold  !    money  !  " 

"  No  ;    we  contracted  with  the  sheik." 

"  Backslash  !    backshish  !  " 

"  If  you  don't  go  on  I  will  go  alone." 

"Ah!    ha!    ha!" 

"  Yes,  I  will." 

"Ah!    ha!    ha!" 

Then  they  told  him  that  a  year  before  an 
Englisliman  had  started  up  with  them,  and  on 
their  demand  for  money  he  would  not  pay  it, 
and  had  started  to  go  up  alone,  but  on  reaching 
a  certain  step  which  they  pointed  out,  he  fainted 
and  fell,  and  dashing  from  ledge  to  ledge,  rolled 
to  the  bottom  a  sightless,  mangled  mass  of  flesli. 
This  reeital  they  accompanied  with  violent  ges- 
ticulations, approaching  Mr.  Percy  with  the  great- 
est rapidity,  as  if  they  were  about  to  cast  him 
down.  But  they  had  overstepped  the  mark,  and 
the  account,  instead  of  frightening  him,  enraged 
him,  and  thus  did  him  good  service.     He  found 


CLIMBING  THE  PYRAMIDS.  127 

that  he  was  deahng  with  desperate  cliaracters, 
and  feehno;  that  his  hfe  was  in  dancer,  was 
roused  to  desperation.  As  coolly  as  he  could,  he 
took  his  revolver  from  his  pocket,  and  put  oi; 
some  capsVhich  he  carried  in  his  vest  pocket, 
at  the  same  time  eying  the  scoundrels  with  as 
savage  a  glance  as  he  could  put  on. 

"  Go  up,"  he  said. 

"  Backshish.     A  sovereign  !  " 

"  Go  up.     Not  a  penny  !  " 

"  Give  backslash  !  —  money." 

"  Not  a  farthing.  Go  up  or  I  will  slioot 
you  !  " 

And  there  they  sat  for  a  moment  eying  each 
other,  and  then  the  fellows,  giving  him  their 
hands,  went  muttering  to  the  top.  Mr.  Percy 
had  been  ill  for  several  days  with  complaints 
peculiar  to  the  climate,  and  ouglit  not  to  have 
ascended  in  that  condition,  and  when  he  reached 
the  top  he  experienced  from  the  fatigue  and  ex- 
citement all  tlie  emotions  of  violent  sea-sick- 
ness, which  ended  only  when  he  had  freely  vom- 
ited. 

When  all  the  party  had  reached  the  sun) mi t 
they  sang  religious  and  pati-iotic  songs,  dis- 
charged their  revolvers,  and  entered  into  various 
calculations  of  interest  to  themselves. 

"  Why  were  these  pyramids  erected  ?  "  asked 
Walter  of  Mr.  Tenant. 


128  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  That  is  a  hard  question  to  answer.  It  la 
generally  supposed  that  they  were  erected  either 
to  commemorate  the  victories  of  certain  king's, 
or  to  be  their  tombs  when  dead." 

*'  Do  you  think  that  the  object  of  their  erec- 
tion?" 

"  It  may  have  been  that,  but  I  think  that 
some  astronomical  or  other  scientific  desimi  en- 
tered  into  the  plan  of  the  builder.  This  I  judge 
from  the  position  of  the  pyramids,  and  their 
bearings  towards  each  other.  But  of  that  we 
will  talk  more  at  some  other  time. 

The  reader  may  like  to  know  the  opinion  of  a 
^reat  astronomer  and  man  of  science.  Some  of 
die  boys  may  have  advanced  far  enough  in  tlieii 
studies  to  understand  a  part,  or  the  whole  of 
what  he  says.  Walter  understood  it  very  well 
vhen  Dr.  Forrestall  quoted  it,  but  Harry  did 
not.  Herschel  says  that,  "  At  the  date  of  the 
erection  of  the  great  Pyramid  of  Ghizeh,  which 
precedes  by  3,970  years  (say  4,000)  the  present 
epoch,  the  longitudes  of  all  the  stars  were  less, 
by  55°  45',  than  at  present.  Calculating,  from 
this  datum,  the  place  of  the  pole  of  the  heavens 
among  the  stars,  it  will  be  found  to  fall  near  a 
Draconis ;  its  distance  from  that  star  being  3° 
44'  25".  This  being  the  most  conspicuous  star 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  was  therefore  the 
pole-star   at    the  epoch.     And    the    latitude  of 


CLIMBING   THE  PYRAMIDS.  129 

Ghizeli  being  just  30"  north,  and,  consequently, 
the  altitude  of  the  north  pole  there  also  30°,  it 
follows  that  the  star  in  question  must  have  had, 
at  its  lower  culmination,  at  Ghizeh,  an  altitude 
of  26°  15'  35".  Now,  it  is  a  remarkable  fact, 
ascertained  by  the  late  researches  of  Col.  Vyse, 
that,  of  the  nine  pyramids  still  existing,  all  have 
narrow  passages,  by  which  alone  they  can  be 
entered  (all  which  open  out  on  the  northern  faces 
of  their  respective  pyramids),  inclined  to  the 
horizon,  downward,  at  angles  as  follows,  in  three 
of  them  — 

Pyramid  of  Cheops, 26°  41/. 

Pyramid  of  Ccphren, 25°  55/. 

Pyramid  of  Myoerinus, 26'^  02'. 

"  Of  the  two  pyramids  at  Abousseir,  also,  which 
alone  exist  in  a  state  of  sufficient  preservation  to 
admit  of  the  inclinations  of  their  entrance-passages 
being  determined,  one  has  the  angle  27°  5',  the 
other  20^.  At  the  bottom  of  every  one  of  these 
passages,  therefore,  the  then  j^ole  star  must  have 
been  visible  at  its  lower  culmination  :  —  a  circum- 
stance which  can  hardly  be  su))posed  to  have  been 
unintentional,  and  was  doubtless  connected  (per- 
ha])s  supcrstitiously)  with  astronomical  observa- 
tions, of  that  star,  of  whose  proximity  to  the  pole 
at  the  epoch  of  the  erection  of  those  wonderful 
structures,  we  are  thus  furnished  with  a  monu- 
9 


130  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

mental    record,    of    the   most   imperishable    ua« 
ture." 

The  descent  from  the  pyramid  was  found  to 
be  very  easy,  and  assisted  by  the  guides  they 
came  leaping  down  the  rocks  with  great  speed, 
and  were  all  glad  to  be  safe  again  on  the 
ground.  The  boys  went  up  and  came  down 
more  easily  than  the  gentlemen,  the  guides  not 
troubling  them  for  backshish. 

The  next  thing  was  to  enter  the  pyramid. 
This  was  more  disagreeable  than  climUng  up  on 
the  outside.  With  lighted  tapers  they  slid  down 
a  narrow  passage,  at  such  an  angle  that  they 
came  near  breaking  their  necks.  From  this  pas- 
sage, eighty  feet  long,  they  came  into  a  ruder  one, 
and  ascended  to  the  great  gallery,  and  finally 
reached  the  Chamber  of  the  King,  so  called  be- 
cause it  is  supposed  that  Cheops  there  was  laid 
to  rest  in  the  unceasing  sleep.  It  is  thirty-five 
feet  long  and  seventeeji  wide,  and  what  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  sarcophagus  is  seven  and  a  half 
feet  long  and  three  broad.  Near  by  is  a  smaller 
room,  called  the  Queen's  Chamber,  because 
there  the  wife  of  Cheops  is  supposed  to  have 
been  laid.  When  they  came  out  they  were  all 
covered  with  dust  and  lime. 

"  Who  was   Cheops,"   asked   Walter   of  Mr. 
Butterworth. 

■'  The  supposed  builder  of  this  pyramid.'" 


CLIMBING  THE   PYRAMIDS.  131 

"  Yes,  Sir.     I  know  that ;  but  Avho  was  he  ?  " 

*'  A  bloody  Egyptian  king,  called  sometimea 
Chemmis  or  Chembes,  who  reigned  here  fifty 
years." 

"  Did  he  build  all  the  pyramids  ?  " 

"  No.  It  was  supposed  his  brother  Cephren 
built  the  second." 

"  When  was  the  entrance  to  this  pyramid 
found  ?  " 

"  By  Caliph  Mamoon  in  820.  He  expected 
to  find  great  treasure  here." 

"  Did  he  find  it  ?  " 

''  No." 

*'  Now,  we  will  walk  over,  and  see  the 
Sphinx,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  and  soon  they  were 
viewing  that  wonder. 

The  young  reader  should  know  that  the 
Sphinx  is  a  human  head  carved  out  of  the  solid 
stone,  sixty  feet  high,  and  the  head  being  more 
than  a  hundred  feet  in  circumference.  It  was 
probably  an  object  of  worship,  but  the  silent  lips 
refuse  to  tell  us  by  whom,  and  when  it  was 
made.  Walter  was  very  much  interested  in  the 
Sphinx,  and  paid  a  man  a  shilling  to  climb  to 
the  top  of  it,  and  when  there  he  looked  only  like 
a  pigmy. 

Near  by  are  ranges  of  tom^s  from  which  each 
of  the  boys  brought  away  a  bone  as  a  relic,  and 
among  which   they   wandered   for  an   hour,   as 


132  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

gratified  as  their  older  associates  with  what  they 
saw. 

Having  spent  several  hours  here,  they  re- 
mounted their  donl^ej'^s,  and  headed  by  Minnie 
wlio  had  walked  all  around  Cheops,  and  Wi 
now  dashed  off  ahead,  turned  towards  Cairo. 
They  crossed  the  Nile  in  the  same  manner  as 
before,  and  reached  Hotel  d^  Orient  just  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  very  weary,  but  amply  repaid 
for  all  the  toils  they  had  put  forth.  That  night 
Walter,  as  he  and  Harry  knelt  before  retiring, 
thanked  his  Heavenly  Father  more  earnestly 
than  usual,  for  the  care  which  had  spared  him 
through  that  day  of  peril  and  of  interest. 


THE  WONDERFUL  RIVER.  133 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    "WONDERFUL    RIVER. 

"  Oh,  I  wish  I  " 

"  Wish  what,  Walter  ?  "  answered  his  fa- 
ther. 

"  That  we  could  go  up  the  Nile." 

"  So  do  I." 

"  Why  may  we  not  ?  " 

"  It  is  too  late  in  the  season.  The  river  ia 
dangerous  in  hot  weather." 

"  But  we  can  take  care  of  ourselves." 

"  No  ;  none  of  the  party  would  dare  go  up 
the  river  so  late  as  this.  It  would  be  very  dan- 
gerous, and  I  should  not  wish  to  lay  my  son  be- 
neath its  waters." 

"  But,  father,  have  you  not  faith  in  our 
Heavenly  Father  ?  " 

"  Yes,  full  faith  in  Him." 

"  Are  not  our  lives  in  his  hands  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Will  He  not  protect  us,  then  ?  " 

"  No,  not  if  we  rashly  violate  the  laws  of  his 
uatural  kiuiidom." 


134  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Perliaps  not ;    but  we  need  not  violate  anv 
ws. 

"  The  whole  voyage  would  be  a  violation  of 
law." 

"  Probably,  you  are  right,  and  I  must  give  it 
up  ;   but  tell  me  about  the  Nile." 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  give  you  all  the  infor- 
mation in  my  power." 

"  I  have  heard  that  at  certain  seasons  the 
river  overflows  its  banks  and  inundates  the  coun- 
try.    How  is  that  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you.  The  river  begins  to  rise  in 
June,  and  steadily  goes  up  until  the  middle  of 
September,  when  it  is  found  generally  to  have 
reached  at  Cairo  a  level  of  about  twenty-five 
feet  above  the  level  whence  it  took  its  start." 

"Doesn't   it   ever  go   over,   or  fall   short  of 
that  ?  " 
"  Yes." 

"  And  what  is  the  consequence  of  that  ?  " 
"  If  the  river  does  not  rise  more  than  two  thirds 
the  usual  height,  the  land  dries  up,  and  the 
crops  are  cut  off.  Of  course  famine  ensues.  If 
the  rise  is  several  feet  greater  than  usual,  then 
the  opposite  result  is  seen.  The  crops  are  swept 
away,  great  damage  is  done  to  vines  and  trees, 
and  towns  are  sometimes  submerged." 

"  How  are  these  inundations  regulated  ?  " 
"  You  remember  the  island  of  Rhoda,  which 


THE  WONDERFUL  RIVER.  135 

we    saw    on    the    day    we   went    to    the    Pyra- 
mids ?  " 

"Yes,  Sir." 

"  That  island  was  formed  by  deposits  of 
mud." 

"It  was?" 

"  Yes  ;    but  that  is  not  what  I  was  about  to 
say.     On  tliat  island  is  a  nilometer." 
.  "  What  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  word  is  from  two  Greek  words,  which 
signify  Nile  and  measure,  and  is  what  its  name 
imports,  an  instrument  to  measure  the  Nile." 

"  How  does  it  do  that  ?  What  is  the  nilom- 
eter hke  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  square  well,  in  the  centre  of  which 
is  a  graduated  pillar,  by  which  any  person  may 
know  how  high  the  water  has  risen,  as  the 
water  in  the  well  rises  to  the  same  heiffht  as 
that  in  the  Nile." 

"  When  the  water  rises,  how  is  it  con- 
trolled ?  " 

"  There  are  canals  leading  from  the  river, 
which  are  closed  until  the  water  reaches  tlie 
proper  height,  and  then  they  are  opened,  and 
the  gushing  streams  flow  over  the  land." 

"  Is  the  water  good  to  drink  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  you  have  had  it  on  the  table  everj 
day  at  the  hotel." 

"  Ah  I    that  is  good  I  " 


136  WALTER  IX  EGYPT. 

"  Yes  ;  when  pure  it  is  veiy  sweet  and  good. 
In  the  river  it  looks  turbid  and  yellow." 

"  You  have  spoken  of  the  deposits." 

"  Yes  ;  the  Nile  carries  along  with  it  a  mud, 
which,  when  it  overflows  its  banks,  it  deposits ; 
and  thus  the  farmer  has  his  land  manured  as 
well  as  watered." 

"  Where  does  this  come  from  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  what  is  its  source  ?  " 

"Yes,  Sir." 

*'  The  source  of  the  Nile  is  so  far  away  that 
few  have  ever  found  it,  and  even  now  author- 
ities would  differ.  Some  of  the  Egyptians  as- 
sert that  it  takes  its  rise  in  the  Mountains  of 
the  Moon." 

"  What  folly  !  " 

"  Far  above  here,  in  the  province  of  Soudan, 
there  is  a  junction  of  two  streams.  One  of 
these  is  called  the  White  Nile  (Bahr-el-Abiad), 
and  the  other  is  known  as  the  Blue  Nile  (Bahr- 
el-Azrek).  A  traveller  who  penetrated  the  wild 
country,  found  that  one  of  these  streams  issued 
from  three  deep  springs,  more  than  6,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea." 

"  In  what  latitude  and  longitude  ?  " 

"  Latitude  10°  59'  25^  and  longitude  36°  55 
30''." 

"  Which  stream  is  this  ?  " 

«  The  Blue  Nile." 


THE   WONDERFUL   RIVER.  137 

«  Why  is  it  SO  called  ?  " 
"  Because  the  water  is  of  a  blue  color,  arising 
from  the  clay  through  which  it  passes ;  or,  per- 
haps, as  some  scientific  man  has  suggested,  from 
the  '  infusorial  insects  '  that  inhabit  it." 

"  Stop,   father,   a  moment,   and   let  me   look 
into   my   pocket-dictionary    and    see   what    that 
word  means.     I  don't  know." 
"  What  word  ?  " 

"  The  one  you  have  just  used  —  infusorial^ 
*'  I  might  explain  it,  but  you  will   be  more 
likely  to  remember,  if  you  look  it  up." 
"  Ah,  here  it  is.     I  have  found  it." 
"  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  '  Infusoria. — Microscopic  animals  inhabit- 
ing water  and  liquids  of  various  kinds,  having  no 
organs  of  motion  except  extremely  minute  hairs.' 
Then  I  understand  infusorial  matter  to  be  an 
animal  substance  that  cannot  be  detected  by  the 
eye,  but  has  power  to  color  the  whole  stream." 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  about  it.  A  microscope  would 
reveal  to  us  that  this  water  is  full  of  animal 
life,"  added  Mr.  Percy. 

"  Weil,  where  does  the  White  Nile  come 
from  ?  " 

"  Nobody  knows.  Its  source  has  never  been 
discovered,  though  some  believe  it  arises  from  a 
great  lake  called  Tanganyika.  I  don't  know  as 
you  will  be  able  to  remember  that  hard  word." 


1 88  WALTER  LN    E(;YPT. 

"  1  think  I  can,  Sir." 

"  A  boy  who  travels,  or  who  reads  books  of 
travel,  should  accustom  himself  to  fix  names  in 
his  memory  distinctly.  Once  there,  there  is  not 
much  danger  of  their  being  dislodged." 

"  You  spoke  about  the  Mountains  of  the  Moon." 

"  Yes  ;    I  believe  I  did." 

"  Does  anybody  believe  that  this  river  has  its 
source  in  the  moon  ?  " 

"  No  ;  you  did  not  understand  me.  Let  me 
explain.  Far  above  here  is  a  range  of  moun- 
tains, called  the  '  Mountains  of  the  Moon.'  " 

"  Why  so  called  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  name  given  them  by  an  eminent 
geographer  in  the  second  century,  on  account  of 
their  snowy  whiteness." 

"  Oh,  I  thought  there  were  some  superstitious 
people  who  really  believed  that  these  waters 
flowed  from  the  moon.  I  am  glad  of  the  cor- 
rection." 

"  Some  urge  that  among  these  mountains,  and 
not  in  the  lake,  the  river  takes  its  rise." 

"  But  have  none  ever  tried  to  get  at  the 
source  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  many  have  tried,  but  it  is  still  a  mira- 
cle of  mystei'y." 

"  That  explains  what  I  read  in  Bayard  Tay- 
lor's book  on  Central  Africa." 

"  What  did  you  read  ?  " 


THE  WONDERFUL  RIVER.  139 

"  I  remember  distinctly  of  reading  a  passage 
w  hich  made  so  strong  an  impression  on  my  memory 
that  I  tliink  I  can  almost  repeat  it.  lie  says  in 
reference  to  some  one  who  had  been  exploring 
the  Nile,  as  near  as  I  can  recall  his  words :  — 
*  The  pictures  which  these  recent  explorations 
present  to  us,  add  to  the  stately  and  sublime  asso- 
ciations with  which  the  Nile  is  invested  ;  and  that 
miraculous  flood  will  lose  none  of  its  interest  when 
the  mystery  which  veils  its  origin  shall  finally 
be  dispelled.  Although  in  standing  upon  the 
threshold  of  its  vast  realms,  I  felt  that  I  had 
realized  a  portion  of  my  dream,  I  could  not  turn 
away  from  the  visions  of  those  untrodden  soli- 
tudes, crowned  by  the  flashing  streams  of  Kili- 
mandjaro,  the  monarch  of  African  mountains, 
without  a  pang  of  regret.  Since  Columbus  first 
looked  upon  San  Salvador,  the  earth  has  but  one 
emotion  of  triumj)h  left  in  her  bestowal,  and  that 
she  reserves  for  him  who  shall  first  drink  from 
the  fountains  of  the  White  Nile,  under  the  snow- 
fields  of  KiHmandjaro." 

"  Very  good,  my  son,  you  have  a  most  excel- 
lent memory." 

"  It  is  of  great  service  to  me  sometimes." 

"  WeM,  cuhivate  it,  and  commit  to  it  things 
that  are  valuable,  and  it  will  be  a  blessing  to  you." 

"  About  the  island  of  Rhoda,  father  ?  " 

"What  about  it?" 


140  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  You  said  it  was  formed  of  the  mud  that 
comes  down  the  river." 

"  Yes  ;  but  you  know  it  must  have  taken  agea 
to  have  formed  it.  There  are  now  palaces  and 
gardens  on  the  island." 

"  I  noticed  them  as  we  passed." 

"  If  you  wish  to  see  Rhoda,  we  will  go  over 
there.  The  other  gentlemen  will  be  engaged 
awhile,  and  your  mother  and  sister  are  also  busy 
this  afternoon,  but  we  can  ride  out,  if  you 
wish." 

"  Oh,  certainly  I  do." 

"  Well,  run  and  get  ready." 

"  Can  Harry  go  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  call  him." 

Harry  was  called,  and  one  or  two  of  the  gen- 
tlemen who  were  not  eno-ao-ed  agreed  to  ioin  the 
party.  Minnie,  hearing  of  what  was  going  on, 
also  claimed  the  privilege  of  going,  and  Mrs. 
Percy  kindly  consented  to  do  her  daughter's 
work  for  her.  They  took  a  carriage  and  drove 
to  the  Nile,  and  crossing  the  water  in  a  boat, 
were  soon  on  the  island,  which  they  found  to  be 
a  charming  place.  They  were  admitted  into  the 
gardens,  saw  the  nilometer,  already  described, 
plucked  flowers  and  gathered  stones,  and  spent  a 
very  pleasant  afternoon  in  wandering  about  the 
little  island,  which  stands  in  the  river  like  a  bou 
quet  in  a  salver  of  water. 


THE  WONDERFUL   RIVER.  141 

•'  Do  you  say,  father,"  asked  Minnie,  "  that 
Moses  was  found  here  ?  " 

"  No,  my  daughter." 

"  I  thought  you  did." 

"  No  ;  I  said  that  Egyptian  travellers  fix  od 
tliis  as  the  place  where  he  was  found." 

"  Is  it  probably  the  place  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell.  We  know  that  he  was  found, 
and  as  tradition  has  fixed  this  spot,  we  might  as 
well  regard  it  as  the  place." 

"  Oh,  how  I  should  like  to  have  been  the 
dauo:hter  of  Pharaoh  !  " 

"  Should  you,  my  child  ?  I  thought  you  would 
rather  be  Mr.  Percy's  daughter." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  don't  mean  that.  I  love  my 
dear  father  better  than  anybody  else  in  the 
world  except  mother,  but  I  would  like  to  have 
found  Moses." 

"  What  would  you  have  done  with  him.  Sis  ?  " 
asked  Walter. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  ;  but  it  must  have  been  so 
romantic  I  " 

"  Oho  !  romantic  !  " 

"  Vos,  romantic  ;  and  the  babe  must  have  ap- 
peared so  cunning  when  he  looked  up  and  smiled 
at  tht  king's  dauffhter." 

"  But  he  did7iH  look  up  and  smile." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  What  did  he  do,  Mr, 
Aliston?" 


142  WALTER    DJ  EGYPT. 

"  The  Bible  says  —  '  The  babe  wept.'  " 

"  I  didn't  think  of  that." 

"  Wiiat  could  you  have  done  with  a  crying 
baby,  Min  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Just  what  the  king's  daughter  did." 

"What  did  she  do?" 

"  Adopted  him,  of  course." 

*'  Fine  girl,  you  are,  talking  about  adopting 
children.  You  could  find  a  thousand  in  the 
streets  at  home." 

"  Well,  there  would  be  nothing  romantic 
about  that." 

"There  it  is  again  —  romantic!''^  said  Wal- 
ter. 

"  Pa,"  asked   the  little  girl,  "  what  was  the 
name   of  Pharaoh's   daughter   who    found    Mo 
ses?" 

"  I  don't  know,  child." 

"  Do  you,  Mr.  Tenant  ?  " 

"  No  ;  only  I  could  guess.'' 

"  What  could  you  guess  ?  " 

"  It  might  have  been  Bridget,  Polly,  Susan, 
or  —  Minnie." 

"  Be  still ;  you  are  plaguing  me  !  " 

"  Then  it  might  be  Andromeda,  Arsinoe,  Si- 
byl, Fatima,  Hypatia,  Kha  "  — 

"  Oh,  do  stop,  Mr.  Tenant ;  you  are  humbug- 
ging me.  There  is  Dr.  Forrestall.  I  will  ask 
him." 


THE  WONDERFUL   RIVER.  143 

*'  What  do  you  want  to  know  ?  "  asked  that 
gentleman,  approaching  the  high-spirited  child. 

"  Who  was  Pharaoh's  daughter  ?  What  was 
her  name  ?  " 

"  Which  Pharaoh  ?     Which  daughter  ?  " 

"  Oh,  the  daughter  who  found  Moses." 

*'  Her  name,  according  to  Josephus,  was  Ther- 
menthis." 

"  A  pretty  name." 

"  A  jaw-breaking  one,"  said  Harry  ;  "  hear 
how  it  sounds  —  Miss  Thermentliis  Pliaraoh  !  " 

"  Come,  children,"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "  you 
have  had  bantering  enough,  and  it  is  time  for 
us  to  return." 

Resorting  to  the  boat,  they  agreed  with  the 
boatmen  to  take  them  a  few  miles  up  the  river, 
at  which  Walter  was  delighted.  Slowly  they 
floated  on,  and  did  not  return  until  the  shadows 
of  night  had  shut  down  on  the  land,  and  dark 
and  dismal  was  the  ride  through  the  cheerless, 
deserted,  uniighted  streets  to  the  hotel,  but  at 
length  they  safely  reached  it,  where  they  found 
other  members  of  the  party  who  had  not  gone 
with  them  quite  anxious  at  their  long  absence 
But  all  is  well  that  ends  well,  so  it  is  said. 


144  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  XIL 

THE    CONTRACT    WITH    ACHMET. 

When  travellers  journey  in  parties  through 
Syria,  tliey  generally  employ  a  dragoman,  who 
provides  for  all  their  wants,  finds  tents,  bedding, 
food,  and  the  necessary  guard.  In  no  other 
way  can  a  party  go  though  Palestine  with  any 
economy  or  comfort.  So  common  have  West- 
ern travellers  become  in  the  East,  that  it  has  be- 
come quite  a  business  to  provide  for  them ;  and 
professional  dragomans  are  found  in  all  the  large 
towns  and  cities,  travelling  hotel-keepers,  who 
make  journeying  safe,  easy,  and  expeditious.  The 
young  reader  may  like  to  know  that  the  drago- 
man is  literally  an  interpreter,  but  persons  of 
this  profession  in  the  East  not  only  act  as  inter- 
preters, but  as  providers  for  parties.  One  of  this 
class  of  men,  Mohammed  Achmet,  had  seen  our 
company  when  they  landed  at  Alexandria,  and 
had  followed  them,  as  we  have  seen,  to  Cairo, 
offerinof  —  but  not  officiously  —  his  services  to 
them.  The  boys  had  often  seen  him,  and  had 
taken  quite  a  fancy  to  him,  and  the  gentlemen 
wei'e  pleased  with  his  appearance,  all  of  which 
has  already  been  stated. 


THE  CONTRACT  WITH  ACHMET.  145 

One  day  this  man  came  in  and  said,  "  I  have 
j)repared  for  the  tour,  and  now  engage  me." 

"  We  are  ready,"  replied  Mr.  Percy. 

"  Who  write  the  paper?" 

"  What  paper  ?  " 

"  The  paper  that  holds  —  you  know." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  the  contract.  We  will  have  it 
ready  this  afternoon.     Come  in  then." 

The  man  retired,  and  one  of  the  gentlemen, 
at  the  request  of  the  others,  wrote  the  following 
nstrument :  — 

COVENANT. 

"  Articles  of  agreement,  entered  into  between 
Messrs.  Tenant,  Percy,  Forrestall,  Butterworth, 
Damrell,  Dunnallan,  Allston,  and  others  on  one 
})art,  and  Mohammed  Achmet  on  the  other  part. 
Witness :  That  the  said  Mohammed  Achmet 
shall  accompany  the  opposite  contractors,  in  a 
journey  contemplated  by  them  in  Syria  and 
Palestine;  —  that  is  to  say,  beginning  at  Joppa, 
or  at  any  other  convenient  point  on  the  coast 
of  said  country,  —  the  day  to  be  fixed  by  the 
first  part,  —  visiting  thereafter  Jerusalem,  the 
Jordan  and  Dead  Sea,  Bethel,  Hebron,  Bethle- 
hem, Jericho,  Nazareth,  Carmel,  Sea  of  Gali- 
lee, Damascus,  and  Beyroot ;  any  or  all  of  said 
places,  and  all  other  places  wliicli  the  conven- 
tHvc>-:  and  pleasure  of  said  company  shall  dic' 
10 


146  Walter  in  egypt. 

tate,  as  tlieir  dragoman  ;  the  said  Mohammed 
Achmet  agreeing;  to  furnish,  for  the  comfort  and 
pleasure  of  said  company,  three  large  new  tents, 
a  sufficient  number  of  good  and  safe  horses, 
caparisoned  and  equipped  ;  to  convey  all  theii 
luggage  in  a  safe  and  accessible  way  ;  to  fur- 
nish good  and  sufficient  food  and  drink  for  the 
journey,  well  prepared  for  consumption  ;  iron 
bedsteads  for  each  and  all  of  said  company,  and 
bedding  ;  to  furnish  a  sufficient  and  substantial 
military  guard,  to  defend  from  the  perils  of 
the  journey,  against  robbers  or  dangers  of  that 
description :  to  pay  all  their  fares  at  hotels  or  other 
places  of  entertainment ;  to  furnish  all  bacJcsJiish 
for  the  journey,  etc.,  etc. 

"  It  is  the  meaning  and  intention  of  the  fore- 
going  that  said  Mohammed  Achmet  shall  well  and 
truly  supply  all  the  wants  of  such  a  journey,  as 
a  faithful  dragoman,  interesting  himself  in  be- 
half  of  said  party,  to  save  them  from  any  un- 
necessary expense.  It  is  also  understood  that 
said  journey  shall  consume  at  least  twenty-five 
days,  and  that,  should  the  pleasure  or  conven- 
ience of  the  party  extend  the  time  beyond  the 
twenty-five  days,  the  said  Mohammed  Achmet 
agrees  to  continue  with  them,  as  herein  described, 
at  the  same  price  per  diem,  —  as  is  stipulated  per 
diem,  —  for  the  said  twenty-five  days. 

"In  consideration  of  which  service  the  said  con- 


THE  CONTRACT  WITH  ACHMET.      147 

tractors  of  tlie  first  part,  each  agree  to  pay  the 
said  Mohammed  Achmet  the  sum  of  twenty 
francs  per  diem  —  French  currency  :  one  moiety 
on  or  before  the  day  of  saiHng  from  Alexan- 
dria, and  the  other  at  the  termination  of  said 
journey. 

"  In  witness  whereof  we,  the  above-named  parties, 
have  appended  our  names  severally  at  Cairo  on 
this,  the  thirtieth  day  of  April,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
one." 

This  covenant  was  then  carefully  read  aloud 
by  Dr.   Forrestall, 

"  That  will  hold  the  Arab,  if  he  is  as  tricky 
as  a  fox.  Doctor,"  said  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  It  could  not  have  been  done  better,  if  a  law- 
yer had  drawn  it  up,"  remarked  Mr.  Percy. 

"  But  there  are  some  parties  not  named  in 
it  who  are  interested,"  said  Walter. 

"  Who,  pray  ?  "  inquired  the  Doctor. 

"  Walter  Percy  and  Harry  St.  Clair,  Es- 
quires, at  your  service.  Sir." 

"  Oh,  we  will  smuggle  you  along." 

"  We  think  you  are  of  no  account,"  added 
Mr.   Tenant. 

"  Father  don't  think  so,  from  the  way  I  draw 
on  him  for  money." 

*'  No ;  you  are  an  expensive  fellow,"  said  hii 
father. 


148  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  But,  seriously,  father,  how  do  you  expect 
wc  shall  be  able  to  get  along  ?  " 

"  We  will  make  an  arrangement  that  you  and 
Harry  shall  go  on  the  same  terms,  and  per- 
haps we  shall  want  to  admit  other  persons  into 
the  company." 

"  Any  way,  only  so  that  we  go." 

"  Rap  !    rap  !    rap  !  " 

"  Open  the  door,  Walter." 

Walter  did  as  he  was  bid,  and  Mohammed 
came  in.  They  read  the  document  to  him,  and 
he  professed  himself  satisfied,  and  proposed  that 
they  should  go  at  once  to  the  American  consul, 
and  have  the  thing  signed  before  him.  They 
went  to  his  office,  which  was  near  by,  but  it  was 
just  three  minutes  after  the  consul's  business 
hour,  and  he  told  them  he  could  do  nothing 
for  them  until  the  next  day. 

"  But  it  will  take  but  a  moment  to  witness 
the  signature,"  urged  Mr.  Tenant. 

"  Business  hours  are  over." 

"  But,  Sir,  we  wish  to  be  away  to-morrow, 
before  business  hours  commence,"  added  Mr. 
Butterworth. 

"  I  never  do  business  out  of  hours." 
"  But  you  would  oblige  us  very  much,"  said 
Mr.  Damrell. 

"  Gentlemen,  did  you  not  see  a  placard  on 
my  gate  ?  " 


THE  CONTRACT  WITH  ACHMET.      149 

"  Yes." 

«  What  did  it  say  ?  " 

*'  '  Office  open  at  ten  o'clock  a.  m.,  and 
closed  at  four  p.  m.'  " 

"  Is  it  not  after  four  o'clock  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;    three  minutes." 

"  Then  I  can  do  no  business  to-day.  Good- 
day,  gentlemen." 

So  they  were  obliged  to  wait  until  the  next 
day,  and  then,  as  soon  as  business  hours  had 
arrived,  they  went  to  the  office  again.  The 
gentlemen  all  signed  the  paper  in  the  presence 
of  the  consul,  and  the  dragoman  took  out  a  seal, 
and  dijiijing  it  in  ink  stamped  it  on  the  paper. 
The  consul  then  added  his  certificate  that  it 
had  been  signed  and  sealed  in  his  presence,  and 
charged  a  fee  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
therefor. 

The  party  then  returned  to  the  hotel,  and  very 
soon  after  the  dragoman  came  again,  having  a 
gayly  dressed  Arab  with  him. 

"  Who  is  this,  Mohammed  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Percy 

"  Abdalluh." 

"And  whois  Abdalluh?" 

"  My  partner  —  he  go  with  us." 

"  All  ri<Tht,  bring  him  in." 

Abdalluh  was  a  fine  looking  Arab,  as  clean 
and  neat  as  if  he  had  just  attired  himself,  and  his 
appearance  was  greatly  liked  by  all.     His  face 


150  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

was  covered  with  smiles,  and  he  seemed  to  be  a 
most  amiable  and  good-natured  creature. 

"  Have  yo*i  engaged  a  cook,"  asked  one  of  the  . 
gentlemen. 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  Hassan  —  yes,  here  is  his  card." 

Mohammed  handed  to  Mr.  Percy  a  coarse 
piece  of  paper,  on  which  was  printed  the  fol- 
lowing :  — 


MOHAMMED  HASSAN  SENARI, 

A    COAE 

And  Travelling  Servant, 


Harry  looked  over  Mr.  Percy's  shouldtsr  and 
laughed. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Harry  ? "  whispered 
Walter. 

"  He's  a  coak,  Walter." 

"  A  what  ?  " 

"  A  coak  —  what  is  that  ?  " 

Mohammed  was  proftise  in  his  praises  of  the 
cook,  declared  him  to  be  as  good  as  any  in 
Egypt,  —  and  the  party  afterwards  thought  he 
was  as  good  as  any  in  Europe. 

"  Well,  Mohammed,  who  else  have  you  got  to 
go  with  us  on  this  journey  ?  " 


THE  CONTRACT   WITH   ACHMET.  151 

«  Hallile." 

"  Who  is  he? ' 

"A  table-servant  —  a  Nubian." 

"  A  good  fellow,  is  he  ?  " 

*'  Oh,  yes,  very  nice  man  ;  do  all  you  want  him 
to  do  —  black  boots,  set  table,  bring  water,  prick 
donkey,  hold  you  head  if  you  sick  —  do  any- 
thing." 

"  Well,  whom  else  have  you  got  ?  " 

"  No  more  from  here ;  get  more  men,  guard, 
and  all  we  want  in  Joppa." 

"  Where  do  you  find  horses  ?  " 

"  In  Joppa." 

"  Are  you  sure  you  can  get  them  there  witii- 
out  trouble  and  delay  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sah,  horses  enough  —  plenty,  plenty 
horses.  I  go  to  a  man  and  say,  '  I  am  Mo- 
hammed Achmet,'  and  he  let  me  have  all  the 
liorses  I  want." 

"  Your  name  must  have  considerable  power." 

"  Yes,  Sah,  it  has  ;  for  everybody  know  I  am 
draffoman  —  Mohammed  Achmet." 

"  Where  are  the  tents  and  camp  equipage  ?  " 

"  The  tents  are  being  made,  and  to-morrow 
you  go  to  the  Red  Sea,  and  when  you  come  back 
I  have  the  tents  all  pitched  out  in  trout  of  the 
hotel,  so  that  you  can  see  all." 

"  Ah,  that  is  right ;  T  think  you  will  serve  us 
very  well." 


152  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  I  trj." 

"  There  are  two  boys,  Mohammed,  tliat  are  to 
go  with  us,  whose  names  are  not  in  the  cov- 
enant." 

"  Yes,  Sah." 

"  I  will  pay  you  the  same  for  each  of  them  that 
I  pay  for  myself,  and  they  are  to  fare  like  the 
rest." 

"Yes,  Sah." 

"  They  must  have  good  beds." 

"  Oh,  good  beds  —  plenty,  plenty,  plenty." 

"  And  o-ood  horses." 

"  Horses  plenty." 

"  And  if  we  wish  any  other  gentleman  to  join 
the  party,  he  is  to  come  in  on  the  same  terms." 

"  Yes",  Sah." 

"  Of  course  the  more  there  are  of  us  the  better 
it  will  be  for  you." 

"  Yes,  Sah,  I  understand,  you  be  my  gentle 
man.     You  say  '  Mohammed  do  this,'  and  I  do 
it.     If  any  other  gentlemen  join  the  party,  they 
eat,  sleep,  ride,  like  the  rest,  but    you    be  my 
gentleman  —  you  say  '  do,'  and  I  do." 

"  That  is  it.  We  hire  you,  and  you  are  to 
take  your  orders  from  us  —  that  is  what  you 
mean  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sah." 

"  All  right,  we  will  have  no  trouble  with  you 
on  that." 


THE  CONTRACT  WITH  ACHMET.      153 

*'  But,  Sah,  I  see  t'vo  dames  belong  to  your 
company." 

"Two  what?" 

"  Two  dames  —  women  ;  what  you  call  'em  ?  '* 

"  Oh,  yes,  two  women  —  they  belong  to  me." 

"  You  two  wives  ;  one  old  wife,  and  one  young 
wife  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Percy  laughing,  "  no  man  in 
our  country  has  two  wives." 

"  I  recollect  —  poor  people  !  " 

"  The  elder  of  these  is  my  wife,  and  the 
younger  my  daughter." 

"  What  do  with  them  ?  —  no  room  in  tents." 

"  Oh,  we  will  take  care  of  them.  'They  are  not 
to  accompany  us  to  Syria.  They  will  embark 
with  us  on  board  the  steamer  at  Alexandria,  and 
instead  of  stopping  at  Joppa  will  keep  on  in  the 
steamer,  and  spend  the  time  in  visiting  a  mission- 
ary family  in  Beyroot,  and  we  shall  join  them 
there." 

"  All  right,  Sah." 

"  It  is  rather  a  pity  we  cannot  take  ]a<lies 
with  us,"  remarked  Mr.  Tenant.  "  We  shall  ;ill 
miss  Mrs.  Percy  so  much  ;  and  I  am  sure  I  can 
iiardly  get  along  without  my  little  cliatterbox 
Minnie." 

"  I  would  like  to  have  them  go  with  us,  but 
Mrs.  Percy  could  not  stand  the  fatigues  of  the 
horseback   ride    through    the   country.      Unac- 


154  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

customed  to  sucli  exercise,  I  should  fear  that  she 
would  break  dowu  under  it.  Besides,  slie  has  no 
great  desire  to  go.  She  anticipates  more  pleas- 
ure in  her  1  isit  to  Beyroot.  As  to  Minnie,  she 
could  ride  as  well  as  Walter,  but  it  would  not 
do  to  separate  her  from  her  mother.  She  is 
reconciled  to  it." 

"  Ladies  very  frequently  go  through  the  coun- 
try on  horseback,  and  many  of  them  enjoy  tent- 
life  very  well.  I  have  conversed  with  several  who 
say  they  were  charmed  with  the  excursion." 

"  Dear  Father,"  said  Minnie,  entering  at  that 
moment,  "  I  am  repenting." 

"  If  you  have  done  wrong  you  ought  to  repent. 
But  of  what  are  you  repenting  ?  " 

*'  That  I  relinquished  the  idea  of  going  with 
you  into  Syria." 

"  You  were  wise  in  coming  to  the  conclusion 
that  you  did.  When  we  started  from  home  I 
had  no  idea  that  you  would  go  the  whole  round 
with  us." 

"  Oh,  how  could  you  be  so  cruel  as  to  deliber- 
ately plan  leaving  us  to  the  savages,  while  you 
go  on  and  enjoy  yourself." 

"  The  savages  will  not  be  on  the  excellent  steam- 
er, but  in  Syria.  We  leave  you  to  keep  you  out  of 
the  reach  of  savages  and  barbarous  customs." 

"  But  it  seems  to  me  that  I  must  see  Jeru* 
Balem." 


THE  CONTRACT  WITH  ACHMET.      155 


(( 


Would  you  leave  your  mother  to  go  on  to 
Beyroot  alone  ?  " 

"  She  is  to  have  the  company  of  a  family  which 
we  saw  at  Alexandria,  you  know." 

"  Yes ;  but  will  she  not  want  her  little  gir) 
with  her  ?  " 

"  I  know  she  will ;  but,  Pa,  just  think  !  " 

"  I  am  thinkino;." 

"  Just  think !  Here  I  am  almost  within  sight 
of  the  '  City  of  the  Great  King,'  and  am  forced 
to  sail  right  by  without  looking  at  it." 

"  Well,  I  know  it  is  disagreeable,  but  best." 

"  Disagreeable,  Pa ;  it  is  provoking,  it  is 
awful." 

"  A  great  many  things  are  awful  to  my  little 
girl,  which  are  really  for  her  good." 

"  I  suppose  I  must  agree,  and  had  better  do  it 
with  good  grace,  but  I  have  a  very  '  naughty 
think '  about  it." 

Thus  it  was  settled,  that  while  the  gentlemen 
should  take  a  tour  of  twenty-five  days  or  more  in 
Syria,  Mrs.  Percy  and  Minnie,  in  company  with 
an  English  family,  whose  acquaintance  she  had 
made  in  Alexandria,  should  proceed  to  Beyroot, 
where  they  would  find  a  home  and  resting-place 
in  an  American  flimily,  connected  with  the 
Mission,  the  lady  of  whom  had  been  a  warm 
personal  friend  of  Mrs.  Percy  years  before. 
This  course  was  deemed  wise  and  best,  for  the 


156  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

considerations  suggested  in  the  conversation  just 
given  between  Mr.  Percy  and  his  daughter,  who, 
always  having  been  accustomed  to  equestrian 
exercises  at  home,  did  not  think  it  would  be 
at  all  arduous  to  ride  a  month  over  the  hills  and 
through  the  valleys  of  the  Holy  Laud. 


CKOSSING  THE  DESERT  OF  SUEZ.     157 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CROSSING   THE    DESERT    OF    SUEZ. 

On  the  morning  after  the  conti-act  was  made, 
the  party  started  in  the  cars  for  Suez,  a  town  on 
tlie  Red  Sea.  The  car  in  which  they  rode  was 
full  of  pilgrims  going  to  Mecca.  The  two  boys 
and  Minnie  were  very  much  opposed  to  going  by 
rail.  It  would  take  off,  they  thought,  much  of 
the  romance  and  poetry  of  the  desert.  They 
plead  with  the  gentlemen  to  go  on  camels  in  the 
olden  way.  But  as  it  would  take  a  lonfi  time, 
and  be  a  very  tiresome  ride,  it  was  considered 
better  to  trust  to  locomotive  power  than  to  camel 
speed. 

The  journey  was  enlivened  by  conversation 
and  singing.  Mohammed,  the  dragoman,  who 
had  concluded  to  go  with  them,  gave  them  mucli 
information  about  the  country,  and  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  people. 

"  1  pity  Mr.  Allston,"  said  Mohammed. 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Butterworth. 

"  He  must  be  so  unhappy." 

"  Why  ?  " 


158  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  He  has  no  wife." 

"  No,  he  is  not  unhappy  on  that  account.  Ha 
is  one  of  the  most  cheerful  men  of  the  party." 

"  He  must  be  very  poor  not  to  have  any  wife." 

"  We  do  not  judge  of  a  man's  wealth  in  Amer- 
ica by  his  wives." 

"  We  do  in  Egypt." 

"  That  is  a  singular  way  to  judge." 

"  If  a  man  be  very  poor,  he  have  one  wife  ;  if 
he  is  worth  a  house,  he  has  two ;  and  if  rich,  he 
has  five,  ten,  thirty  wives." 

"  Have  you  a  house  ?  " 

"  Yes,  an  elegant  house  in  Alexandria,  with  a 
very  large  garden." 

("  The  fellow  lies,"  whispered  Harry  to  Walter 
aside.) 

"  You  must  go  and  see  it  when  we  get  to 
Alexandria." 

"  I  would  like  to,"  continued  Mr.  Butterworth. 

"  I  will  show  you  orange-trees,  and  flowers, 
and  a  garden  very  beautiful,  and  house  very 
grand." 

T"  He  lies  again,"  whispered  Harry.) 

"  How  many  wives  have  you  ?  " 

"  Two  :  one  a  poor  one,  and  one  a  rich  one." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

"  One  brought  me  much  money,  the  other 
none.     I  am  going  to  have  another." 

"  When  I  go  to  your  house  I  shall  see  them." 


CROSSING  THE  DESERT  OF  SUEZ.     159 

"No!  no!  no!" 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

•'  We  never  let  anybody  see  our  wives." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

'*  It  is  not  good,"  replied  he,  glancing  at  Mrs. 
Percy,  who  smiled  at  the  look  of  pity  he  cast  on 
her, 

"  But  if  we  go  to  your  house  and  look  about 
the  garden,  they  will  see  us." 

''  No." 

"  How  can  you  help  it?  " 

"  They  will  be  shut  up  in  the  chamber." 

"  They  may  look  out  of  the  window  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  But  if  they  do,  what  then  ?  " 

"  I  beat  them  with  this  stick,"  holding  up  a 
long  palm-tree  stick. 

"  But  you  don't  beat  your  wives,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  when  they  don't  mind  me.  I  beat 
the  poor  one  very  much.  She  brought  me  noth- 
ing." 

"  But  the  rich  one  ?  " 

"  I  beat  her  but  little." 

"  But  that  is  all  wrong." 

"What  is  all  wrong?" 

"  For  a  man  to  beat  his  wife." 

"  What !  3^ou  say  a  man  have  no  right  to 
Leat  his  wife  when  she  don't  mind  him  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  we  think  it  wrong  to  do  so  in  America." 


160  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  America  a  very  bad  country.  I  would  not 
live  there." 

"  If  I  was  his  wife  I  would  like  to  see  him 
beat  me,"  whispered  Minnie  to  Harry. 

"  What  would  you  do  ?  " 

"  I'd  tear  every  hair  out  of  his  head." 

"  A  woman's  mode  of  fio-htino;,  I  believe,  Min- 
nie,"  said  Mr.  Tenant  in  an  undertone. 

"  Women  don't  fight,  Mr.  Tenant." 

"Don't?" 

"  No  ;  none  that  I  ever  saw.  But  I  want  to 
hear  what  that  barbarian  says  to  Mr.  Butter- 
worth." 

"  Has  Abdalluh  any  wives,  Mohammed  ?  " 

"Yes,  Sail.     Abdalluh    rich  —  he    have    five 


wives." 


"  Do  they  all  live  together  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Where  do  they  live  ?  " 

"  One  is  at  Alexandria  —  one  at  Cairo  —  one 
up  the  Nile  —  the  others  I  don't  know  where 
they  are.     He  knows." 

The  young  reader  had  better  be  told  here  that 
polygamy  —  or  a  plurality  of  wives  —  is  common 
in  all  Mahometan  countries.  The  people  do  not 
think  it  wrong  for  a  man  to  have  as  many  wives 
as  he  can  support.  And  often  the  man  is  sup- 
ported by  the  wives  —  they  doing  the  work  while 
he    smokes   his    pipe   and  lounges  about    doing 


CROSSING   THE  DESERT   OF   SUEZ.  101 

notliing.  A  man  will  take  several  wives,  doing 
nothinii  for  them,  bnt  <roino;  to  tliem  now  and  tlien 
—  as  they  are  located  in  different  places  —  to  take 
their  earnings  for  his  own  support. 

While  the  above  conversation  was  going  on, 
the  cars  were  passing  through  the  land  of 
(joshen  —  a  region  of  country  given  by  Pharaoh 
to  the  descendants  of  Jacob.  It  is  a  very  fruit- 
ful and  pleasant  land ;  but  the  peo])le  loved 
liberty,  and  God  ordained  their  freedom,  and 
thev  left  their  hfjroies  and  went  out  into  the  wil- 
derness  to  wander  in  search  of  a  country  where 
they  could  be  free.  Mr.  Percy  gave  the  chil- 
dren an  account  of  the  Hebrews,  which  added 
much  to  the  interest  of  the  ride,  and  there  was 
not  one  of  the  party  who  did  not  look  upon  that 
pleasant  country  with  more  interest  in  conse- 
quence of  the  comments  made. 

Getting  beyond  Goshen,  they  came  into  the 
dreariness  of  the  Great  Desert.  Nothiiiif  but 
sand  could  be  seen  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see  : 
now  rolled  up  into  mountains,  like  drifts  of  snow, 
and  anon  stretching  out  in  one  wide,  flat,  scorch- 
ed plain. 

"How  higii  are  those  sand-hills.  Father?" 
asked  Walter. 

"  I  should  judge  them  to  be  a  hundred  feet." 

"  Are  they  permanent  ?  " 

No,  always  shifting ;  and  I  am  told  that  thii 
11 


«i 


162  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

sand  rolls  about  as  snow  does  in  winter,  in  New 
England.  Sometimes  it  sweeps  down  upon  this 
track,  delaying  the  cars  for  days." 

"  That  is  curious." 

"  Hallo  !  hurrah  !  "  shouted  Harry,  who  was 
looking  out. 

"  What  is  it?"  asked  a  half-dozen  voices. 

"  A  water-spout." 

"Nonsense!"  said  Dr.  Forrestall.  "Awater- 
8fK)ut  in  the  desert !  " 

"  It  looks  like  it,  at  any  rate." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?     Have  you  ever  seen 


one  r 


"  No,  no  ;  but  I  have  read  of  them." 

"  It  is,  it  is,"  cried  Minnie. 

On  looking  out,  the  gentlemen  saw  —  not  a 
water-spout,  but  a  sand-spout  —  a  column  of 
sand,  from  fifrv  to  seventv  feet  hiffh,  wheelinor 
along,  dancing  up  and  down,  now  ahead  of  the 
cars,  and  then  behind  them.  They  saw  it  for 
nearly  an  hour  as  they  rode  along.  It  was  about 
a  half-mile  distant,  but  so  clear  is  the  atmosphere 
that  it  seemed  much  nearer.  They  were  all  very 
much  interested  in  it,  and  a  very  pleasant  conver- 
sation occurred  in  relation  to  the  phenomenon. 

"  While  you  have  been  talking  with  Moliam- 
med  about  his  wives,"  said  Mr.  Dunnallan,  '•  I 
have  been  reading  about  these  sand-pillars." 

"  In  what  book  ?  "  asked  Walter, 


CROSSING    Till':   DESERT    OF    SUE/.  163 

"  '  Travels  in  the  Aiiioor,'  by  Atkinson." 

"  I  liave  never  read  it." 

"  It  is  a  veiy  interestino-  \  olunie,  and  the  au- 
tlior  speaks  of  the  very  thing  you  are  now  hwk* 
ino-  at." 

"  Oh,  do  read  to  us  what  he  says,"  asked 
Minnie. 

"  If  you  two  boys  will  come  up  close  to  nie,  so 
that  I  shall  not  be  obliged  to  read  very  loud,  and 
if  Minnie  will  ]*romise  not  to  interrupt  uie  until 
I  get  through,  I  will  read  a  short  passage." 

•'  Ho !  did  you  ever  know  me  to  intei-rupt 
anybody  ?  "  asked  the  child  indignantly. 

"  No  matter,  I  will  read :  — 'I  have  often  wit- 
nessed a  phenomenon  on  the  s;indy  jilains  of 
Central  Asia,  which  accounts  in  some  measure 
for  the  innumerable  sandy  mounds  that  are  found 
in  some  rciiious.  When  seen  at  a  distance  for 
the  first  time,  it  made  a  strong  impression  upon 
my  mind.  About  twenty  pillars  were  in  view, 
wheeliuii  round  and  licklno;  ui)  the  sand.  As 
they  passed  along,  a  cloud  of  dust  was  raised  on 
the  ground,  api)arently  eight  or  ten  yards  in 
diameter.  This  gradually  assumet^  the  form  of  a 
cohunn  that  continued  to  increase  in  heijrht  and 
diameter  as  it  moved  over  the  plain,  appearing 
like  a  mighty  serpent  reai-ing  its  head  aloft,  and 
-wistinji  its  huiie  bodv  into  contortions  in  his 
iiiorts  to   ascend.      The  pillars  were  of  varioui 


164  WALTER   IN   EGYPT. 

sizes,  some  twenty  or  thirty  feet  liiii'h,  otliers 
fifty,  sixty,  and  one  hundred  feet,  and  some  as 
cended  to  nearly  two  hundred  feet.  As  the 
whirlwinds  began  gathering  up  the  dust,  one 
might  have  fancied  that  antediluvian  monster;* 
were  rising  into  life  and  activity.  The  smaller 
ones  seemed  to  trip  it  lightly  over  the  plain, 
bending  their  bodies  in  graceftd  curves  as  they 
passed  each  other.  While  those  of  larger  dimen- 
sions revolved  with  gravity,  swelling  out  their 
trunks  as  they  moved  onward,  till  the  sandy  fab- 
ric suddenly  dissolved,  forming  a  mound,  and 
creating  a  cloud  of  dust  that  was  swept  over  the 
desert.'  " 

By  this  time  the  sand-spout  was  out  of  sight, 
and  a  half-hour  was  spent  in  conversation  about 
it.  All  at  once  Mr.  Tenant  started  up,  with  an 
exclamation  which  arrested  the  attention  of  all. 

"  Too  bad  !  too  bad  !  " 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Damrell, 
who  sat  beside  him,  and  who  was  about  upset  by 
the  violence  with  which  Mr.  Tenant  rose  to  his 
feet. 

"  Matter,  matter  enough  I  " 

"  What  is  it  ?  " 

*'  Careless  man  !  " 

"  Who  ?     You,  or  the  rest  of  us  ?  " 

*'  Myself,  of  course." 

**  Do  tell  us  what  the  trouble  is,"  said  Mr.  Percy. 


CROSSING   THE  DESERT   (^F   SCEZ.  165 

"  Why,  I  have  kft  my  money-belt  under  the 
pillow  of  my  bed  in  the  hotel  at  Cairo." 

"  Bad       How  uiucli  did  you  have  in  it  ?  " 

"Seven  hundred  dollars  in  English  jrold  !  " 

("  Lucky  it  wasn't  us,  Harry,"  said  Walter ; 
"  we  never  should  hear  the  last  of  it.  Don't  you 
remember  how  Mr.  Butterworth  left  his  purse 
under  his  pillow  in  his  berth  on  board  the 
steamer  ?     Lucky  it   w  asn't  us.") 

"•  What  can  I  do?"  asked  Mr.  Tenant, 

"  Why,  you  can  stop  at  the  next  station,  and 
telegraph  to  Cairo." 

This  was  agreed  upon,  and  the  conductor,  on 
being  consulted,  consented  to  stop  long  enough 
for  the  despatch  to  be  forwarded.  When  the 
next  station  was  reached,  the  despatch  was  sent, 
and  the  cars  went  on." 

"  I'd  like  to  joke  Mr.  Tenant,"  said  Harry  to 
Walter. 

"What  for?" 

"  Because  he  has  been  so  severe  on  us  when 
we  have  lost  anything.  What  do  you  think  he 
would  have  said  if  we  had  left  our  monev-belt3 
under  our  i)illows  ?  " 

"  He  would  have  called  us,  in  his  o;ood-natured 
wray,  a  couple  of  careless  dogs." 

"  I'll  joke  him  about  it." 

"No,  not  now,  he  feels  it  too  keeid^." 

"  What  need  he  care  foi  the  money  ?  *' 


16G  vvALTi':r{  in  egypt. 

"  It  is  not  so  much  the  money  as  the  careless 
way  in  which  lie  left  it,  that  he  feels.  Say  noth- 
ing about  it,  and  to-morrow  " 

"  The  sea !  the  sea ! "  burst  fiom  several 
voices. 

"What  sea?"  asked  Mr.  Dunnallan,  looking 
up  from  his  book. 

"  The  Red  Sea,  of  course,"  replied  Mr.  Allston. 

"  It  cannot  be ;  we  are  two  hours'  lide  from 
that."  But  on  looking  out  they  saw  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  A'ast  body  of  water,  just  ahead  of 
the  cars. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  cried  Harry. 

"  Mirage,"  answered  Mr.  Percy. 

"What  is  that?" 

"  An  optica!  illusion  produced  by  the  '  unequal 
densities  and  refractory  powers  of  adjacent  strata 
of  the  air.'  " 

"  But  do  you  mean  to  say,  Mr.  Percy,  that  I 
don't  see  water  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do  say  so," 

"  Then  I  can't  beheve  my  own  eyes  ?  " 

"  You  cannot,  if  they  tell  you  that  is  water." 

"  It  must  be  water." 

"  I  would  sucro-est  that  you  read  somethino; 
upon  the  subject,  and  you  will  find  it  a  very  in- 
teresting subject." 

"  Does  not  the  mirao-e  account  for  all  the 
Bfories  about  phantom-ships  ?  "  asked  Walter. 


(JKOSSliS'G   THE   DESERT   OF   SULZ.  167 

"  Yes,  my  son." 

Harry  was  soon  satisfied  that  what  he  had 
seen  was  an  illusion,  for  as  the  cars  drrve  on, 
mile  after  mile,  the  water  seemed  to  be  as  far  off 
as  ever. 

"  The  mirage  plays  strange  pranks,  boys," 
said  Dr.  Forrestall.  "  Sometime  when  we  ai'e 
where  we  can  talk  without  screaminsi;,  I  will  tell 
you  some  stories  that  will  astonish  you." 

"  That  is  riglit,  Doctor  ;  I  want  to  know  all 
about  this ;  I  never  saw  it  before,  and  it's  one  of 
the  things  old  Falkiier  has  never  enlightened  us 
on,"  said  Harry. 

'•'•  Harry,"  said  Walter,  "  why  do  you  persist 
in  calling  your  teacher  '  old  Falkner  ?  '  He  is  a 
young  man,  a  kind  man,  and  a  good  instructor." 

"  Oh,  you  are  one  of  his  favorites !  " 

"  No,  not  particularly  so  ;  but  1  try  to  learn 
all  1  can  in  school,  and  feel  bound  to  speak  of 
him  with  respect." 

"  Quite  right,  Walter,"  said  Mr.  Butterworth. 
"  But  where  is  Minnie  ?  " 

"  Asleep  on  mother's  lap,"  replied  Walter. 

"I  think,  Mr.  Percy,  she  ought  to  see  this 
mirage.'' 

"No,  let  her  sleep;  slcej)  will  'lu  her  more 
good.  She  may  wake  time  enough  to  see  it ;  if 
not,  let  her  sleep." 

"  Minnie  must  feel  much  disappointed  in  not 


168  WALTER   IN    EGYPT. 

goiii"  tlii'ough  Syria  with  us,"  said  Harry  to 
Walter. 

"  Yes,  I  know,  she  is.  She  was  told  before  we 
left  home  that  she  could  not  ;  but  she  expected 
to  persuade  father  to  let  her  go." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  she  laid  all  her  plans  to  go.  But 
you  know  Burns  has  quaintly  said  that 

'  The  best  laid  plans 
Of  mice  and  men 
Gang  often  wrang.* " 

"  So  Minnie's  plans  have  gone  wrong  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Thus  talking  they  approached  Suez,  which 
they  found  to  be  full  of  pilgrims  on  their  way  to 
Mecca.  Their  tents,  camels,  and  luggage  filled 
the  streets,  and  devout  Mussulmans  as  they  were, 
they  could  be  seen  at  their  devotions  everywhere. 
On  reaching  the  hotel,  Mr.  Tenant  found  a 
telegram  from  the  keeper  of  the  hotel  in  Cairo, 
saying  to  him  that  his  money  was  found,  and  was 
safi.'. 

Suez  lies  upon  the  shore  of  the  Ked  Sea,  and 
derives  its  importance  mainly  from  the  fact  that 
it  is  a  mail-station  between  England  and  India, 
and  hence  is  always  full  of  English  people,  going 
or  coming  from  the  Indian  provinces.  Our 
travellers  found  a  good  hotel  kept  by  an  English- 
man, and  soon  were  enjoying  themselves  in  the 


CROSSING   THE  DESERT   OF   SUEZ.  169 

coolest  and  most  pleasant  place  in  hot  weather  to 
be  found  in  Egypt.  The  breezes  from  the  sea 
were  truly  refreshing  after  the  tedious  ride  of  the 
day.  The  distance  from  Cairo  to  Suez  is  about 
eighty  miles  ;  five  hours  complete  the  journey, 
and  the  railroad  rare  is  two  cijllars  ami  fifty 
cents. 


170  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    PASSAGE    OP   THE   RED    SEA. 

Few  persons  ever  come  to  the  shores  of  the 
Red  Sea  without  wishing  to  penetrate  the  re- 
gions beyond,  and  no  sooner  were  our  travellera 
in  Suez,  than  thej  began  to  think  of  crossing 
over  to  the  other  side,  and  following  a  little  way 
in  the  track  of  the  fugitive  Hebrews.  The  boys 
were  particularly  clamorous  for  this ;  and  when 
Mr.  Percy  told  them  they  should  get  a  boat  and 
go  over,  they  seemed  to  lose  all  appetite  for  din- 
ner, thinking  only  of  the  excursion. 

The  Red  Sea  is  a  fine  sheet  of  water,  one 
hundred  and  ninety-two  miles  broad  and  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty  miles  long, 
from  Suez  to  Bab-el- Mandeb.  After  dinner  a 
boat  was  procured,  and  while  Mr*.  Percy  and  her 
daughter  sought  repose,  the  gentlemen  started 
for  the  shores  of  Asia.  Instead  of  crossing  im- 
mediately over,  as  the  children  of  Israel  did, 
they  sailed  down  the  sea,  and  struck  the  coast 
at  the  wells  of  Elim,  where  were  twelve  wells 
oi   water    and    seventy    palm-trees.*     As    they 

*  Exodus  XV    27. 


THE   PASSAGE   OF    THE   KED   SEA.  17] 

went  out  of  the  harbor  of  Suez,  Mr.  Percy  en- 
ter«-'d  iut(^  conversation  with  the  boys  upon  the 
remarkable  transaction  which  once  was  witnessed 
livvii,  and  great  was  their  interest  as  they  sailed 
on. 

-  Why  is  this  called  the  Bed  Sea,  Father?" 
asked  Walter. 

''  There  are  various  suggestions." 

"  What  are  they  ?  " 

''  One  is  that  the  sea  has  derived  this  name 
from  the  innumerable  animalcules  that  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  cover  the  surface  and  give  it  a 
red  a])pearance.'' 

''What  is  another?" 

"  That  the  name  comes  from  Edom,  which  in 
the  Hebrew  means  red." 

"And  another?" 

"  That  the  term  comes  from  the  abundance  of 
red  coral  found  here." 

"  Is  there  any  other?  " 

"None  that  I  think  of." 

"  Has  it  always  been  called  Med  Sea  ?  " 

"  In  the  Scriptures  it  is  known  as  Yam  Soof, 
—  sea  of  weeds." 

"  Well,  Pa,  how  wide  was  the  sea  where  the 
Hebrews  crossed  ?  " 

"  The  place  where  it  is  generally  supposed 
they  crossed  is  about  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred feet." 


172  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  Is  there  any  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the 
place  of  the  crossing  ?  " 

"Not  mush  ;  though  some  suppose  they  went 
over  eighteen  miles  clown  the  sea,  wlier"  the 
width  is  twelve  miles." 

"  Can  you  point  to  the  place  where  you  think 
they  went  over  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  you  see  that  mountain  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  And  that  gorge  ?  "  • 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  The  mountain  is  Tibel  Attica,  and  down 
through  the  gorge  the  people  are  supposed  to 
have  come,  and  spread  along  the  shore,  at  the 
base  of  the  hills.  The  Egyptians  following 
along  the  same  gorge  rendered  escape  impossi- 
ble." 

"  I  should  like  to  read  a  description  written 
by  some  person  who  was  on  the  spot." 

"  You  can." 

"  Can  I  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;    read  the  account  in  Exodus." 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  think  !  " 

•'  I  have  here  in  my  hand  a  book  which  con- 
tains a  description  of  the  passage,  written  many 
hundred  j-ears  ago.  Would  you  like  to  have  mo 
read  it?" 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

"  This  is  it.     Artipanus,  who  wrote  one  hun- 


THE   PASSAGE  OF  THE  RED  SEA.  173 

dred  and  thirty  years  before  Christ  was  born  in 
Bethlehem,  gives  the  Egyptian  tradition  con- 
cerning this  miraculous  passage.  '  The  Alero- 
phites  relate,'  he  says,  '  that  Moses,  being  well 
acquainted  with  the  country,  watched  the  in- 
flux of  the  tide,  and  made  tJie  multitude  pass 
through  the  dry  bed  of  the  sea.  But  the  Helio- 
politans  relate  that  the  king,  with  a  great  army, 
accompanied  by  the  sacred  animals,  pursued 
after  the  Jews,  who  had  carried  off  with  them 
the  substance  of  the  Egyptians  ;  and  that  Moses, 
having  been  directed  by  a  divine  hand  to  strike 
the  sea  with  his  rod,  locked  the  waters,  and  so 
the  flood  divided,  and  they  passed  over  through 
a  dry  way.  But  when  the  Egyj)tians  entered 
along  with  them,  and  pursued  them,  it  is  said 
tliat  fire  flashed  against  them  in  front,  and  the 
sea  returning  back  overwhelmed  the  j)assage. 
Thus  the  Egyptians  perished  both  by  Hre  and 
the  influx  of  the  tide.'" 

An  hour  or  two  was  occupied  in  the  sail  over 
the  sea,  and  at  length  the  boat  struck  the  shallow 
beach,  nearly  an  eighth  of  a  mile  Irom  the 
shore.  They  could  get  in  no  m-arer  the  dry 
land,  and  so  were  obliged  to  divest  themselves 
of  their  clothing,  and  holding  it  in  their  arms, 
wade  ashore.  Some  of  the  gentlemen,  wliose 
feet  were  somewhat  tender,  soon  bciran  to  cry 
out  with  pain,  the  bits  of  coral  and  sharji  shells 


174  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

which  covered   the  bottom   making  it  anything 
but  pleasant  to  walk  thereon. 

They  reached  the  shore,  which  they  foinid 
covered  with  corals  and  beautiful  siiells,  and  each 
tmin  at  once  went  to  work  gathering  some.  Be- 
tween the  shore  and  the  wells  of  Moses  was  a 
})iece  of  ground  which  the  Arabs  hold  sacred, 
and  across  which  tiiey  allow  no  one  to  go  with 
covered  feet. 

"What  I"  said  Mr.  Percy,  "have  we  to  walk 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  over  briers  and  hard,  crusty 
groimd  with  bare  feet  ?  " 

"  You  must,"  answered  the  dragoman. 

"  I  sha'n't  for  one,"  was  the  emphatic  reply. 

So  while  the  rest  crossed  the  ground,  pricking 
their  feet  at  every  step,  Mr.  Percy  went  over  in  his 
boots.  But  it  was  quite  unfortunate  that  he  did 
so,  for,  knowing  that  he  should  be  obliged  again  to 
wade  to  the  boat,  he  had  not  put  on  his  stockings, 
and  his  boot  chafing  against  his  bare  ankle  rup- 
tured the  skin,  and  produced  a  wound,  of  which 
he  did  not  rid  himself  for  a  month,  Imt  which 
troubh  d  him  throughout  his  sojourn  in  Syria. 
Often  ^^■as  he  the  subject  of  joke  by  those  who 
took  ofl[  their  shoes,  and  especially  did  Mr.  Ail- 
ston  dcli'dit  to  tell  liim  that  if  he  had  become  a 
Mussulman,  and  done  as  they  do  while  he  was  in 
their  country,  he  would  not  have  been  so  af- 
flicted. 


THE  PASSAGE   (»!•    THE   HED   SEA.  175 

The  wells  of  Elim  consist  of  two  or  three 
square  pools,  the  wate-r  now  slimy  and  unfit  to 
ihink.  Several  palm-trees  wave  their  branches 
over  them  in  mournful  silence.  The  two  boys 
were  reminded  of  an  ancient  custom  while  at  the 
wells.  They  saw  two  women  grinding  at  a  mill, 
turning  one  stone  upon  another,  making  a  meal, 
a  liandful  of  which  Walter  took  and  put  into  a 
bottle  and  brought  home  with  him.  The  boys 
were  of  the  opinion  that  the  wells,  or  pools,  could 
never  have  produced  good  water ;  but  Mr.  Percy 
pointed  them  to  a  spring  boiling  up  in  the  centre, 
and  told  them  that  doubtless  if  the  pools  should 
be  cleaned  out,  and  the  spring  properly  taken  care 
of,  the  water  would  be  sweet  and  j)ure. 

When  they  had  remained  an  hour  at  the  wells, 
they  crossed  the  "  Holy  Field,"  bathed  in  the 
sea,  selected  a  few  more  shells  from  the  beach, 
waded  to  the  boat,  and,  hoistirig  their  sails,  started 
for  Suez.  A  wild  time  they  had  of  it.  The  wind 
increased,  and  the  boat  shipped  so  much  water 
that  they  were  all  wet  to  the  skin,  and  it  was 
midnight  when  they  reached  the  landing. 

There  was  one  consolation  for  the  honors  ol 
this  night-voyage,  which  to  the  boys  was  of  great 
interest.  The  remarkable  phosphoric  qualities  of 
the  Red  Sea  water  gave  them  a  grand  di>play. 
Walter  had  never  seen  anything  like  it.  With  a 
cane,  he  could  make  a  capital  letter,  a  B  or  an  II, 


176  WALTER   IN  EGYPT. 

in  the  water,  and  for  an  instant  it  would  blaze 
with  the  greatest  distinctness.  Drops  of  water 
dashed  upon  his  clothing  would  sparkle  like  the 
Mre-fly  for  a  minute ;  and  wlien  the  spray  came 
dashing  over  the  bows  of  the  boat,  it  seemed  like 
a  wave  of  fire. 

"  It  may  have  been  this  remarkable  phosphoric 
quality  of  the  water,"  remarked  Mr.  Dunnallan, 
"  that  gave  rise  to  the  Egyptian  tradition  which 
Mr.  Percy  read,  that  fire  flashed  upon  the  armies 
of  Pharaoh,  as  they  entered  the  sea." 

"  This  is  worth  getting  wet  for,  Harry,"  said 
Walter. 

"  What  is  ?  " 

"  This  conversation  among;  the  orentlemen 
about  the  phosphoric  light." 

"  That  is  just  like  you." 

"  What  is  like  me  ?  " 

"  To  lose  your  supper,  get  wet  to  your  skin, 
and  endanger  vour  life,  and  think  it  dehVhtful 
because  you  can  get  an  idea  into  your  head." 

"  Well,  I  think  an  idea  is  worth  more  than  my 
supper  any  time  ;  as  to  life,  I  don't  think  we  have 
been  in  any  particular  danger." 

"  I  think  supper  would  do  me  a  great  deal  of 
good,  but  I  don't  see  what  good  this  conversation 
on  phosphoric  light  can  do  me." 

"  You  will  learn  something  by  it." 

**  No,  I  shall  not.     I   cannot  learn  anything 


THE  PASSAGE  OF  THE  RED  SEA.  177 

When  I  am  hungry,  and  now  I  am  hungry  as  a 
bear." 

"  You  might  as  well  learn,  for  your  supper  you 
will  certainly  lose." 

Perhaps  tliere  was  no  reason  to  fear,  but  it  waa 
very  dark,  and  they  were  obliged  to  crouch  down 
in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  and  every  few  minutes 
a  heavy  wave  would  strike  the  bows,  and,  leap- 
ing over,  would  completely  drench  them,  and 
glad  were  they  when  they  stood  again  on  solid 
land. 

"  Now  to  the  hotel  for  supper,"  cried 
Harry. 

"  Supper  !  "  exclaimed  Walter. 

"  Yes,  Sir;  supper,  if  you  please." 

"  None  will  you  get  to-night." 

"  Why  not  f " 

"  Because  the  servants  in  the  hotel  are  all 
abed,  and  they  will  not  get  up  to  cook  for 
you." 

"  Perhaps  not  for  me  alone ;  but  these  gen- 
tlemen that  are  following  on  behind  are  as 
hungry  as  I  am.  What  do  you  bet  that  Mr. 
Tenant  does  not  get  some  supper  ?  " 

"  I  don't  bet." 

Mr.  Tenant  now  came  up,  and  they  all  entered 

the  hotel   together.     Servants   were  found,  but 

they  were   not  willing  to  get   any  supper  ;  but 

Mr.  Tenant,  being  a  very  resolute  man,  did  get 

12 


178  WALTER  m  EGYPT. 

some  bread  and  meat,  and  they  all  sat  down  to  it 
with  a  hearty  relish. 

The  next  morning  the  boys  both  slept  until  a 
late  hoiir,  and  were  awakened  by  a  cry  outside 
the  door. 

"  Hawdgee  !     Hawdgee  !  " 

"  What  is  that  cry,  Walter?"  asked  Harry. 

"  Hark  ! " 

"  Hawdgee  !    Hawdgee  I  " 

"  It  is  the  servant." 

"  What  is  he  saying  ?  " 

"  He  is  calling  on  some  traveller." 

Again  the  call  was  made,  and  on  Walter's 
going  to  the  door  he  found  a  servant  who  had  been 
sent  to  call  him  and  Harry  to  breakfast.  They 
told  him  they  would  soon  be  there,  and  on  reach- 
ing the  breakfast-room,  found  the  whole  party 
at  the  table;  Mr.  Tenant  told  Harry,  who 
inquired,  that  "  Hawdgee "  meant  "  Christian 
merchant,"  but  was  a  title  applied  to  all  Franks. 

Breakfast  being  soon  over,  a  little  run  through 
♦he  town  was  taken.  They  saw  the  same  sights 
and  heard  the  same  sounds  as  the  day  before. 
From  the  minaret,  at  the  appointed  hour,  they 
heard  the  voice  of  the  muezzin,  chanting  in  the 
same  ever  shrill,  doleful  strains,  —  "  God  is  most 
great,"  "  There  is  no  Deity  but  God,"  "  Maho- 
met is  God's  Apostle."  "  Come  to  prayer," 
"  Come   to  security."      "  God    is   most    great." 


TUE  PASSAGE   OF  THE  RED  SEA.  179 

"  There  is  no  Deity  but  God."  They  saw  the 
squatting  Arabs  in  the  bazaars,  smoking  their 
long  j)ij)es  and  idling  away  their  time.  They 
caught  fugitive  glimpses  of  the  dark-eyed  Egyp- 
tian maiden  at  the  little  lattice  window  of  her 
home,  peeping  out  a  moment,  and  then,  like  an 
affrighted  child,  disappearing.  They  stumbled 
over  the  dogs,  ran  against  the  donkeys,  were 
crowded  and  jostled  on  all  sides,  just  as  one  al- 
ways is  in  an  Egyptian  town. 

They  took  cars  and  rode  back  again  to 
Cairo,  into  which  city  they  entered  after  the 
shadows  of  night  had  fallen.  A  dismal  place  it 
is  when  night  comes.  Not  a  single  jet  of  gas, 
not  a  public  street-lamp,  but  whoever  goes 
abroad  must  carry  his  lantern,  to  see  the 
way.  Through  the  dark  they  were  whirled  in 
an  omnibus  towards  the  hotel,  in  danger  every 
moment  of  running  over  some  poor  donkey,  or 
some  foot-traveller  who  had  no  light,  but  at 
length  arriving  safely  there,  —  Mr.  Tenant  to 
find  his  money,  Walter  and  Harry  to  find  a 
delicious  bath,  and  at  length  the  whole  party  to 
find  a  calm,  peaceful  night's  repose. 

"Do  you  know,"  said  Walter  to  his  young 
friend  after  Harry  had  retired  to  rest  that 
night,  "  that  in  this  little  time  we  have  crossed 
from  Africa  to  Asia,  and  in  less  than  three  dava 
have  actually  been  on  three  continents?" 


180  WALTER   IN   EGYPT. 


n 


Ye-ye-yes.  I'm  sleepy.  Good-night." 
Soon  Harry  was  sound  asleep,  while  Walter 
bowed  his  knees  at  his  bedside,  and  thanked  God 
for  the  mercies  of  the  day,  and  prayed  for  him- 
self and  Harry  and  all  the  party  and  little 
Charley  and  other  dear  friends  at  home.  And 
then  he  went  to  sleep,  and  holy  angels  came 
down  to  watch  over  the  pillow  of  one  who  every 
day  remembered  his  Heavenly  Father,  and  was 
truly  grateful  for  his  daily  mercies 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  181 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    PORTFOLIO. 

"  You  will  have  a  leisure  day,  boys,"  said  Mr. 
Percy.  "  We  have  all  some  purchases  to  make 
before  we  leave  Egypt,  and  you  may  take  your 
own  course  to-day." 

"  I  know  what  I  will  do,"  answered  Walter. 

*'  What  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Write  a  lot  of  letters  home." 

"  Good !  so  will  I.  I  have  hardly  written  a 
letter  since  I  started.  The  old  man  will  think  I 
am  dead." 

"  Old  man  !     What  old  man  ?  " 

"  Why,  my  father,  of  course." 

"  You  should  not  speak  of  him  in  that  way, 
Harry." 

"  So  you  have  told  me  a  hundred  times  be- 
fore." 

"  And  have  told  you  riiiht." 

"  So  you  have,  Walter.  You  are  a  better 
boy  than  I  am,  and  always  n'ill  be." 

Just  then  Minnie  broke  into  the  room,  and 
held  up  a  '.etter. 


182  WALTER  IN  EGYPT 

"  See  here !  "  she  cried. 


j» 


"  What  have  you  got  ? 
"  A  letter  from  Charley." 
"  Any  come  for  us  ?  " 

"  No  ;    only  this  for  me,  and  some  business 
letters  for  father." 
"  Do  read  it." 
"  I  will.     Here  it  is  :  — 

"  '  Cambridge,  April  8,  1861. 

*' '  Dear.  Sister  Minnie,  —  You  have  now- 
been  gone  almost  a  week,  and  Aunt  Hester  tells 
me  that  when  my  letter  reaches  you,  you  will  be 
in  Egypt.  I  know  all  about  that  place.  Rose 
Thornton  has  told  me.  A'n't  it  dark  in 
Egypt  ?  Have  you  seen  any  crocodiles  ?  Have 
you  been  where  Joseph  who  was  sold  by  his 
brethren  was  put?  Rose  says  it  is  all  sand  in 
Egypt ;    doen  she  know  ? 

"  'It  seems  a  month  since  you  went  away,  and 
I  am  lonesoj  le,  though  Aunt  Hester  is  very  kind, 
and  Rose  is  in  here  all  the  time.  But  I  want  to 
see  mother  and  father,  and  you,  Minnie,  and 
Walter.  I  hope  you  will  get  home  in  two  or 
three  v/^eeks,  though  Rose  says  you  won't.  Tell 
Harry  St.  Clair  that  it  is  too  bad  that  father 
took  him  to  Egypt  instead  of  me.  But  Rose 
says  my  time  is  coming,  and  that  some  day  I 
shall  go  to  London  and  Rome  and  Egypt. 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  183 


((( 


■ '  I  hope  you  can  read  what  I  have  written,  for 
the  teacher  says  I  write  nicely.  Do  you  think  I 
do,  Minnie?  Aunt  Hester  says  she  will  look 
over  this  letter,  and  fix  it,  but  I  have  done  it 
most  all. 

" '  Charles  Percy.'  " 

"  Bless  the  little  scamp  I  I  would  like  to  see 
him,"  said  Harry. 

"  Scamp !  Don't  you  call  him  that,"  an- 
swered Minnie. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  him,  too,"  added  Wal- 
ter. 

"  Whom  are  you  going  to  write  to,  Walter  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Falkner,  first." 

"  What,  that  old  curmudgeon  ?  " 

"  Don't  talk  so,  Harry." 

"  Well,  that  illustrious  pedagogue,  then?  " 

"  I'o  my  excellent  teacher,  if  you  please." 

"  Have  it  so.  I'll  write  to  Rose  Thornton 
and  the  old  man." 

So  they  sat  down  to  write,  aud  as  they  write 
we  will  look  over  their  shoulders  and  see  what 
they  are  about. 

"  Cairo,  May  6,  1861. 

"Dear  Mr.  Falkner, — When  I  ])arted  with 
you,  I  promised  to  write  you  one  of  the  best  let- 
ters I  could.     You  said  you  would  read  it  to  the 


184  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

school,  if  it  was  a  good  one.  I  don't  care  abcmt 
that,  but  I  hope  I  shall  write  so  as  to  obtain  your 
approbation. 

"  We  have  now  been  in  Egypt  some  time,  and 
I  will  tell  you  what  I  think  of  the  country  and 
the  people.  We  have  seen  much,  and  travelled 
far,  and  I  hope  I  have  been  profited  by  the  tour 

"  Egypt  is  a  most  singular  country.  It  is  un- 
like any  other  that  I  have  visited,  and  every 
object  seems  new  and  strange  to  me.  The 
dress  of  the  people  first  arrested  my  attention. 
The  men  wear  the  tarbush,  which  is  a  close- 
fitting  red  Fez  cap,  said  to  be  so  called  from  a 
place  in  Morocco,  where  they  are  manufactured 
extensively.  The  rich  and  poor,  the  civilian  and 
the  soldier,  wear  it.  The  trousers  are  long  and 
loose,  coming  down  to  the  knees,  and  leaving  the 
legs  bare.  These  trousers  are  simply  a  bag,  with 
holes  for  the  feet  to  be  thrust  through,  and  are 
awkward  and  uncomely  in  the  extreme.  A  blue 
or  drab  jacket,  or  a  white  smock  or  coat  covers 
the  shoulders,  while  a  pair  of  red  shoes,  with 
pointed  toes,  completes  the  toilet.  The  women 
are  draped  up,  head  and  all,  Avith  a  loose,  flowing 
robe,  leaving  only  the  eyes  uncovered,  and  are 
very  singular  in  the  appearance.  The  pooi 
people  are  very  negligent  as  to  dress,  some  of 
the  children  not  wearing  anything,  but  running 
about  naked. 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  185 

"  The  streets  are  full  of  beggars.  Beggai-s  are 
a  very  common  race.  We  found  them  in  L(jn- 
tlon  clamoring  for  an  *a-penny ;  in  France  for  a 
sou;  in  Rome  ^ovapct'd;  in  Egypt  for  a.  jmstre. 
Father  says  it  is  no  use  to  give  them  anything, 
as  it  only  encourages  vicious,  indolent  liabits,  so 
we  never  do,  unless  the  asker  is  old  or  crijipled. 
Then  we  bestow  a  slight  charity.  Sometimes  I 
think  it  makes  me  a  little  hard-hearted  to  refuse 
so  many  pleas  for  aid,  though  I  know  many  of 
them  are  unworthy  applicants. 

"  If  I  have  not  obtained  many  new  ideas  since 
I  came  here,  I  have  seen  many  new  ways  of 
doing  things.  Why,  Mr.  Falkner,  only  the 
other  day  we  rode  along  by  where  they  were 
building  a  railroad ;  and  how  do  you  suppose 
they  were  doing  it  ?  With  trains  of  gravel  cars, 
and  hundreds  of  men  ?  With  drays  and  horses 
and  spades  ?  No,  Sir,  They  were  building  a 
railroad  many  miles  long  with  their  hands.  Oli, 
there  were  thousands  of  men,  women,  boys,  and 
girls,  some  of  the  latter  not  half  so  big  as  Sistt-r 
Minnie,  and  they  had  baskets  into  which  tlicy 
scraped  the  sand  with  their  hands  and  tlien  liitcd 
them  upon  their  heads  and  carried  tlu  in  to  the 
road  I  Some  of  them  had  little  wooden  hoes,  but 
none  of  the  shovels  that  our  laboi-ers  use.  I  rea<l 
the  other  day  that  when  Mohammed  Ali  Intilt 
the  Mahmood(^eh   Canal,  '  an  army  of  two  liun- 


186  WALTER   IN   EGYPT. 

dred  and  fifty  thousand  persons  was  gathered  to 
dig  this  canal,  the  dirt  being  scooped  out  by  the 
hand  or  with  a  common  hoe,  and  all  removed  in 
sacks  or  baskets  carried  on  the  shoulders  ;  and  so 
miserable  was  the  ])rovision  of  food,  clothing,  and 
shelter  fur  this  multitude  of  laborers,  and  so  se- 
vere were  the  daily  tasks  exacted  of  them,  tliat 
no  less  than  twenty  thousand  are  said  to  have 
perished  by  accidents,  hunger,  and  plague.'  This 
railroad  was  being  built  in  the  same  way  ;  and 
the  loss  of  life,  father  says,  must  be  enormous. 

"  I  have  been  surprised  to  find  the  climate  so 
much  more  genial  and  pleasant  than  we  ex- 
pected. We  thought  we  should  have  very  hot 
weather,  but  thus  far  have  been  disappointed  ; 
and  as  you  told  us  we  should  be  unable  to  stay 
in  Egypt  on  account  of  the  intense  heat,  I  will 
make  a  quotation  from  my  register,  which  will 
show  you  that  we  have  not  suffered  on  this  ac- 
count :  — 


fw^ 


Tuesday,    (  Cairo,  12.30  o'clock,  P.  M. 62°. 


^ 


April  30.     (      "         5  "  "     76°. 

r  Cairo,  5.30  o'clock,  A.  M. 62°. 

Wednesday,  J  Pyramids,  10  "  "     72 \ 

May  1 . '    j  The  Plains,  3         "         p.  m. 78" 

[  Cairo,  7         "  "    74->. 

[  Cairo,    6  o'clock,  A.  M. 60°. 

Thursday,    !  Suez,     2       "        P.M. 82°. 

May  2.     1  On  the  Red  Sea,  3  o'clock,  p.  m.-  •  -90°. 
I  Wells  of  Elim,      6       "  "...  78° 


lOAT  UF£  Oi-^1   I  Hi  mil 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  187 

F  "da  '       C  Suez,    8  o'clock,  A.  M.      70^ 

Mays'     l^^''-^'   1        "       ^•^'     78°. 

•'.  (      "       5        "  "         81°. 

"  This  gives  you  a  good  idea  of  tlie  tempera- 
ture as  we  found  it,  and  the  heat  did  not  seem 
at  all  oppressive.  Thus  our  fears  proved  false, 
and  we  were  highly  favored  by  God  in  this  re- 
spect. 

"  We  have  seen  the  Nile ;  sailed  up  and  down, 
and  bathed  in  its  waters.  The  7'eis  —  captain  — 
who  took  us  along  the  rivei*  was  a  good  sailor, 
and  knew  all  about  the  land,  and  could  give  us 
all  the  information  we  wanted.  He  described  to 
father  the  process  of  irrigation  and  fertilization 
in  Egypt,  and  Mr.  Tenant  said  he  was  better 
posted  about  his  business  than  many  a  Yankee 
captain  would  be.  I  have  sketched  a  view  of 
river-life  which  I  send  you. —  [The  reader  will 
find  the  sketch  accomi)anying  this  book.] 

"  But  I  must  close  my  letter,  lest  you  will  be 
very  weary  of  reading  it.  I  could  tell  you  many 
things  we  saw,  but  my  paper  is  out.  So  I  will 
only  write  a  description  of  Egypt,  which  I  heard 
Dr.  Forrestall  read  much  to-day.  I  liked  it  so 
well  that  I  got  the  book  and  copied  it,  and  I 
know  t/oii  will  like  it.  '  Egyfit  is  comj)osed  of 
black  earth  and  green  plants,  between  a  j)id- 
verized  mountain  and  a  red  sand.  The  distance 
from  Syene  to  the  sea  is  a  month's  journey  for  a 


188  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

horseman.  Along  the  valley  descends  a  river 
on  wliicli  the  blessing  of  the  Most  High  reposes, 
both  in  the  evening  and  morning,  and  which  rises 
and  falls  with  the  revolutions  of  the  sun  and 
moon.  When  the  annual  dispensation  of  Prov- 
idence unlocks  the  springs  and  fountains  that 
nourish  the  earth,  the  Nile  rolls  its  swelling  and 
sounding  waters  through  th^  realm  of  Egypt ; 
the  fields  are  overspread  by  the  salutary  flood  ; 
and  the  villages  communicate  with  each  other  in 
their  painted  barks.  The  retreat  of  the  inunda- 
tion deposits  a  fertilizing  mud  for  the  reception 
of  the  various  seeds  ;  the  crowd  of  husbandmen 
who  blacken  the  land  may  be  compared  to  a 
swarm  of  industrious  ants  ;  and  their  native  indo- 
lence is  quickened  by  the  lash  of  the  task-master, 
and  the  promise  of  the  flowers  and  fruits  of  a 
plentiful  increase.  Their  hope  is  seldom  de- 
ceived ;  but  the  riches  which  thev  extract  from 
the  wheat,  the  barley,  and  the  rice,  the  fruit- 
trees,  and  the  cattle,  are  unequally  shared  be- 
tween those  who  labor  and  those  who  possess. 
According  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  seasons,  the 
face  of  the  country  is  adorned  with  a  silver  wave, 
a  verdant  emerald,  and  the  deep  yellow  of  a  (jold- 
en  harvest.' 

"  I  assure  you,  Mr.  Falkner,  that,  thougli  I 
am  enjoying  myself  very  much,  I  shall  be 
very  glad  to  get  back  to  my  school  and  to  my 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  189 

books.      You   will    know   who   writes    to    you, 
though  I  only  sign  my  name 

"  Hawagee." 

*'  Ah,  ha,  hum  !  "  yawned  Walter. 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  asked  one  or  two  o 
the  party  who  were  present. 

"  Oh,  I  have  been  writing  until  1  am  tired." 

*'  Have  you  finished  your  letter,  my  son  ?  '* 
asked  Mr.  Percy. 

"Yes,  Sir.     Shall  I  read  it  ?  " 

"  If  you  please." 

Walter  read  his  letter  through,  and  when  he 
had  closed,  his  mother  said, — 

'  Why  do  you  sign  yourself  Hawdgee  ? ' 

"  Oh,  for  fun." 

"  Do  you  know  what  it  means  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;    it  means  '  Christian  merchant.'  " 

"  But  you  are  not  a  merchant." 

"  No,  Mother ;  but  the  term  is  applied  to  all 
Franks,  or  Europeans,  and  Mr.  Falkner  will 
know  what  I  mean." 

"  Very  well ;  I  only  wished  to  know  if  you 
understood  the  meaning  of  the  word.  Do  you 
know  what  you  might  sign  yourself,  if  you  were 
a  Moslem  trader  ?  " 

*'  Yes ;  I  beheve  it  would  be  Kowagee.'''' 

"  Riglit.  You  quoted  something  in  your  let- 
ter.    Whose  languao-e  was  it  ?  " 


190  WALTER  m  EGYPT. 

'*  Amru,  one  of  Mahomet's  most  distinguished 
warriors." 

"  I  do  not  remember  about  him." 

"  Well,  all  I  know  is  what  Mr.  Butterworth 
was  saying  the  other  day.  He  told  about  him, 
and  stated,  that  on  one  occasion  he  laid  siege 
to  Alexandria,  and  was  taken  prisoner  and 
carried  to  the  fortress.  They  did  not  know 
liim,  and  he  was  about  to  declare  who  he  was. 
A  slave  who  was  taken  with  him,  when  he  saw 
what  he  was  about  to  say,  struck  him  on  the 
mouth,  saying,  '  Be  silent  in  the  presence  of 
your  superiors.'  This  deceived  the  enemy,  and 
they  supposed  Amru  was  less  than  a  slave ;  and 
they  kept  the  slave,  but  sent  him  back  with  a 
message,  and  so  he  got  clear." 

"  Ttieb^  teieb,  teieb,  keteer!^''  said  Dr.  Forre- 
stall,  coming  forward  at  that  moment. 

"  Now,  Doctor,  what  lingo  is  that  ?  I  have 
•  heard  it  a  thousand  times  since  I  have  been 
here." 

The  Doctor  laughed. 

"  Please  tell  me,  for  I  want  to  know.  When 
1  say  anj^thing  to  these  Arabs  they  shcut,  '  Tib, 
tib,  tlb^  e  te  keter^^  or  something  like  that." 

"  It  means,  '  Good,  good,  very  good.'  " 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  I  know,  for  when  I  hear 
such  jargon  again,  I  shall  not  be  as  ignorant  aa 
I  have  been." 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  191 

"  Have  you  written  any  letters,  Hariy  ?  * 
asked  Mr.  Percy. 

"Yes,  Sir.     Two." 

"  Will  you  read  them  to  us  ?  " 

*'  I  don't  like  to.  If  I  wrote  as  well  as  Wal- 
ter does,  I  would  read  them." 

"  I  think  I  would  read  them,  Harry,"  added 
Mrs.  Percy. 

"  If  you  really  desire  it,  I  will." 

"  We  do  desire  it." 

"  Here  they  are,  then  : 

"  '  DoNKEYDOM,  May  6,  1861. 

" '  Miss  Thornton,  — That  sounds  ratlier  for- 
mal, Rose,  but  that  pattern  of  propriety  with  whom 
I  am  travelhng,  —  Master  Waher  Percy,  an  old 
head  on  young  shoulders,  —  would  tell  me  that 
it  is  right.  I  suppose  it  is,  but  how  ridiculous 
it  would  sound  for  me  next  winter  to  say  to 
you,  when  we  are  coasting,  '  Jlias  Thornton, 
let  me  draw  you  up  the  hill  ;  '  or,  '  Mias 
Thornton,  let  me  make  the  snowballs  for  you 
to  throw  ; '  or,  '  3Iiss  Thornton,  let  me  strap 
your  skates.'  But  let  that  pass.  You  would 
like  to  know  what  we  have  seen  out  here.  I 
couldn't  tell  you  one  half,  for  we  have  been  hear- 
ing, seeing,  and  enjoying  ever  since  we  left  Cam- 
bridge. We  have  seen  donkeys  by  the  million  , 
heard  dogs  bark,  week  in  and  week  out ;   been 


192  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

shaken  up  with  the  Arabs  in  carriages  and  in 
the  streets,  and  arc  ahiiost  naturahzed  Egyp- 
tians. Anyhow,  this  is  a  queer  country.  You 
would  laugh  at  the  women.  They  look,  when 
walking  in  the  street,  like  mummies  done  up  in 
prodigious  big  white  bags ;  and  when  they  ride, 
the  horse  —  donkey^  I  mean  —  is  all  covered  up 
with  dry  goods  and  fancy  wares.  You  would 
laugh  at  the  men,  too.  They  dress  as  Father 
Abraham  used    to  —  you    know  how  that  was, 

—  and  go  through  the  streets  looking  like  mon- 
keys rigged  up  in  women's  clothes.  You  would 
also  laugh  at  —  why  there  is  nothing  but  what 
you  would  laugli  at.  Why,  if  they  water  the 
streets  here,  instead  of  doing  it  in  a  civilized 
way,  they  do  it  as  they  probably  did  in  the 
times  of  Pharaoh  —  a  man  goes  through  the 
street  with  the  skin  of  a  goat  under  his  arm, 
and  squirts  water  from  this  novel  machine :  one 
third  upon  the  dust,  and  two  thirds  upon  the 
people  who  are  passing  by.  Instead  of  having 
buckets  to  hold  water,  they  keep  it  for  drink- 
ing purposes  in  skins.  Everywhere  you  go,  you 
find  people  who  are  shouting  for  '  backshish  ' — 
plaguing  you  to  death  at  every  step  you  take. 
Do  you  know  what  '  backshish  '  is  ?  I  suppose 
not,  but  I  cannot  stop  to  tell  you.  You  never 
can  know  until  you  hear  a  half-clad  Egyptian, 

—  blind  of  one  eye  and  half  blind  of  the  other. 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  193 

—  shoutuig,  as  he  runs  behind  you,  in  a  poor, 
piteous  tone  — ''  Hawdgee^  backshish/^  Walter 
will  explain  all  the  hard  words  when  he  gets 
home. 

" '  AYell,  Rose,  how  are  things  at  home  ? 
Have  you  been  to  our  house,  recently?  Seen 
the  old  gent  —  hey  ?  And  Falkner  —  is  he  as 
savage  as  ever  ?  Do  you  remember  that  time 
when  I  blacked  the  inside  of  his  hat  ?  Wasn't 
that  rich  ? 

" '  I  don't  know  as  I  have  anvthino-  more  to 
write.  Walter  and  Minnie  send  their  love  to 
you  —  at  least  I  suppose  they  would,  if  they 
knew  I  was  writing  to  you.  Minnie  is  the 
lite  of  the  party.  Mr.  Tenant  takes  her  under 
liis  care,  and  she  goes  to  him  for  anything  she 
wants.  She  is,  indeed,  the  favorite  of  all,  while 
I  guess  they  look  upon  me  as  a  clown.  They 
are  about  right  —  don't  you  think  so? 

"  '  Please  run  into  om-  house,  and  t(?ll  the  old 
gentleman  and  lady  that  their  hopeful  son  was 
well  when  last  you  heard  from  him;  put  a  })in 
into  the  cushion  of  Falkner's  chair  for  me  ;  turn 
Scrrei  out  of  the  pasture,  and  giAe  father  a  hun 
of  half  a  day  to  find  the  beast,  and  credit  the 
exploit  to  me,  and  do  as  much  mischief  as  you 
please,  in  the  name  of 

'"Harry  St.  Clair.'" 


IS 


194  WALTER  m  EGYPT 

"  What  will  Rose  think  of  you  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Percy,  as  Harry  folded  his  letter. 

"  Think  ?  —  why,   Rose  knows  me,  of  old." 

"  But  what  would  your  father  think,  if  he 
should  see  that  letter  ?  " 

"  Oh,  he  won't.  Rose  promised  if  I  would 
write  to  her  that  nobody  should  see  the  let- 
ters ?  " 

"  Well,  you  can  do  as  you  will  about  send- 
ing it,  but  it  is  not  very  respectful  to  your 
parents,  nor  to  Mr.  Falkner." 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Percy,  don't  say  anything  about 
old  Falkner.     I  owe  him  a  grudge." 

*'  But,  Harry,  he  has  been  one  of  your  best 
friends ;  corrected  you  for  your  faults,  praised 
you  for  your  virtues,  and  instructed  you  kindly 
and  cheerfully." 

"  Well,  never  mind.     Let  him  slide." 

"  You  will  slide,  Harry,"  cried  Minnie, 
rushing  into  the  room  with  her  finished  letter 
in  her  hand. 

"  Ah,  Minnie  ;  have  you  been  writing,  too?" 
asked  Mr.  Tenant. 

"Yes,  Sir." 

"  Come,  read  it." 

"  I  don't  like  to,  but  I  suppose  I  must." 

'"Egypt,  May  6,  1861. 
"  '  Little    Charley,  —  From    this    far-oif 


THE  PORTFOLIO.  195 

land  Sister  Minnie  writes,  to  tell  you  how 
much  she  loves  you.  Father  and  mother  and 
Walter  are  all  here,  and  all  of  us  are  writing 
home  to-day.  Madcap  Harry  St.  Clair  is  also 
writing  a  letter  to  send  to  his  friends.  And 
now,  Charley,  how  have  you  been  this  long 
time  ?  Have  you  ever  cried  to  see  mother 
and  Minnie  ?  Ah,  1  guess  you  have.  When 
Hester  has  put  you  into  your  little  bed,  you 
have  wished  the  folks  were  all  at  home  ao-ain. 

IT' 

It  is  more  than  a  month  since  we  left  home, 
and  it  seems  to  me  a  great  while  longer.  We 
have  had  many  dangers  on  the  sea  and  on  land, 
but  are  now  all  well,  and  I  think  we  should 
be  perfectly  happy,  if  dear  little  brother,  whom 
we  all  love  so  much,  was  with  us. 

"  '  You  promised,  when  we  left,  to  keep  my 
garden  clear  from  weeds  this  summer,  and  look 
after  my  canary.  Are  you  doing  so  ?  You 
must  ask  John,  the  gardener,  to  show  you  how 
to  set  out  the  geraniums,  which  ought  to  be  in 
the  ground  by  the  time  this  letter  reaches  you. 
Let  Gip  have  a  clean  cage  every  day,  and  put 
in  clean  seed,  so  that  the  dear  little  creature 
may  not  die  while  I  am  gone.  I  have  not 
heard  a  bird  sing  as  sweetly  as  Gip  does,  since 
I  left  America. 

''  •  I  sujipose  Rose  Thornton  comes  in  to  sea 
you  while  we  are  absent.     She  promised  to  sea 


196  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

that  you  were  a  good  boy.  And  now  I  must 
close  this  letter,  because  I  have  some  more  to 
write,  and  so,  Charley,  wait  patiently  until  you 
hear  again  from 

" '  Minnie.'  " 

"  You  might  have  written  some  news  to  the 
boy,"  said  Walter. 

"  I  had  none  to  write." 

"  You  might  have  told  him  what  we  have 
seen  since  we   have  been  out  here." 

"  Oh,  you  must  write  about  all  that." 

Thus,  in  writing  letters  and  reading  them,  and 
in  pleasant  conversation,  the  day  was  spent  by 
the  children.  The  gentlemen  made  some  pur- 
chases, and  prepared  to  leave  Egypt  for  the 
Holy  Land.  On  the  morrow,  they  were  to  start 
for  Alexandria,  to  embark  at  that  port  for  Syria, 
and  as  they  went  to  sleep  that  night  there  was 
not  one  of  the  party  who  did  not  regret  that  they 
were  so  soon  to  leave  this  interesting  country. 


LOOKING  BACK.  197 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

LOOKING    BACK. 

On  the  following  morning,  Walter  and  Harry 
were  aroused  by  a  knocking  at  the  door  of  their 
room,  and,  on  asking  who  was  there,  heard  a 
strange  voice  saying  — 

"  Sabdl  khayr  1     Sahal  hliayr  1 " 

"  AVho  is  it  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  Me  —  Mohammed  Achmet." 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  " 

"  I  speak  to  you." 

"  Yes,  and  what  did  you  say  ?  —  those  strango 
Arabic  words  ?  " 

"  Good-morning !     Good-morninor  I  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  good-morning,  Mohammed." 

"  Breakfast  waits." 

**  We  will  be  ready  soon." 

And  soon  both  of  the  boys  were  ready,  and 
had  joined  their  older  friends  in  the  breakfast- 
room.  After  breakfast,  with  luggage  and  an- 
tiquities that  they  had  collected,  and  accompanied 
by  Mohammed,  Abdalluh  Hassan,  and  Hallile, 
the  party  took  the  cars  for  Alexandria.     It  was 


198  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

a  happy  party.  Not  a  cloud  rested  on  the  spirits 
of  any  one,  and  unalloyed  enjoyment  seemed  to 
be  the  lot  of  all. 

The  incidents  of  the  day  need  not  be  detailed  ; 
though  a  car-ride  of  seven  or  eight  hours  in 
Eoypt  is  different  from  a  ride  of  the  same  length 
of  time  in  any  other  land,  where  cars  and  rail- 
ways are  found.  Our  travellers  reached  Alex- 
andria wearied,  and  ready  at  once  to  seek  the 
repose  of  sleep. 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  —  a  Sabbatli 
in  Egypt,  —  and  beautiful  was  the  hallowed 
dawn.  The  sky  was  clear,  the  atmosphere  pure, 
and  the  sea  breezes  refreshing.  Minnie  rost, 
earlier  than  the  rest,  and  went  out  and  took  a 
short  walk  before  breakfast  with  the  dragoman, 
who  was  pleased  to  show  her  attention  and  re- 
.  spect.  After  the  rest  of  the  company  had  as- 
sembled in  the  room  of  Mr.  Dunnallan,  for 
morning  religious  services,  which  were  just  con- 
cluded, Minnie  came  bouncing  in  with  a  shout 
of  merriment  and  joy. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  child  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Percy. 

"  Matter  enough,  Pa,"  the  child  replied. 

"  I  should  think  so  ;  but  do  you  know  what 
day  it  is  ?  " 

"  Fourth  of  July  —  Independence  Day  —  gen- 
eral muster,  or  something." 


LOOKING   BACK.  199 

"  Stop,  stop.  Minnie,  do  you  not  remenibei 
that  it  is  Sabbath  moniing  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sir,  I  suppose  it  is  in  New  England, 
and  in  Old  Eno;land  ;  but  it  is  not  here." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

*'  Why,  Father,  I  have  been  out  to  walk  with 
that  Arab  —  you  know  who  I  mean,  the  drago- 
man, or  whatever  you  call  him,  —  Mohammed 
Ach  —  Aclimet,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Does  going  out  to  walk  on  Sabbath  morning 
make  you  so  boisterous  ?  " 

"No;  but  it  is  not  Sabbath — it  cannot  be. 
The  streets  are  full  of  people,  and  the  men  and 
boys  have  little  cannons,  and  pistols,  and  fire- 
crackers, and  are  doing  just  as  our  boys  do  on 
Fourth  of  July." 

"  Is  that  a  fact,  Minnie  ?  "  asked  Harry. 

"  Yes." 

*'  Then  a  time  we'll  have  to-day." 

*'  You  forget,  Harry,  that  it  is  Sunday  ;  and 
whatever  the  people  here  may  be  doing,  we  must 
maintain  our  New  England  habits,''  said  Walter. 

"  Right,  Walter,"  said  Mr.  Butterworth.  "  I 
am  glad  you  think  of  that." 

"  Rap,  rap,  ta[),"  on  the  door. 

Harry  opened  it ;  the  dragoman  was  there. 

"  De  gentlemens  will  take  breakfast,"  he  said. 

They  proceeded  to  the  bruakfast-room,  where 
they  met  several  English   and  American  travel- 


200  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

lers  who,  like  themselves,  were  bound  foi-  th« 
Holy  Land.  After  breakfast  they  went  out,  and 
found  the  city  in  wonderful  commotion,  as  Minnie 
had  said.  Men  and  boys  were  about  the  sfi-eets 
with  small  fire-works,  and  nothing  resembled  the 
solemn  hush  of  holy  time.  On  inquiry,  they 
found  the  occasion  of  all  this  to  be  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Greek  Pentecost.  Minnie  persisted 
in  saying  it  was  the  "  Fourth  of  July,"  and  wished 
to  go  to  some  of  the  churches  where  the  festival 
was  to  be  celebrated  ;  but  the  gentlemen  took  their 
way  to  the  English  Church,  where  services  were 
held,  and  a  sermon  in  English  preached.  The 
day  was  spent  as  the  Sabbath  generally  is  in  hea- 
then cities ;  and  at  night  our  travellers  gathered 
in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  hotel,  and  conversed 
upon  the  strange  sights  they  had  seen,  and  upon 
the  goodness  which  had  protected  them  thus  far 
on  their  journey. 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  said  Mr.  Tenant, 
"  how  much  like  man's  life  this  day  has  been  —  a 
quiet  dawn;  a  confused  mixture  of  leligion  and 
profanity  ;  a  noisy,  boisterous,  tumultuous  surging 
all  day  long ;  and  now,  an  unlighted  night  that 
hushes  every  sound  of  man,  and  clo'Jes  up  the 
whole  in  impenetrable  darkness." 

"  Your  remark,  friend  Tenant,"  said  Mr. 
Percy,  "  reminds  me  of  a  beautiful  little  saying 
of  Goethe." 


LOOKING   BACK.  201 

"  What  saying,  Father  ?  I  should  hke  to  hear 
something  about  Goethe,  of  whom  I  have  heard 
much,  but  Ivuow  httle,"  said  Walter. 

"  Goethe  said,"  replied  the  gentleman,  "  that 
'  man  is  a  glorious  poem  ;  each  life  a  canto,  each 
day  a  line.  The  melody  plays  feebly  at  first 
upon  the  trembling  chords  of  his  little  heart,  but 
with  time  gains  power  and  beauty  as  it  sweeps 
onward,  until  at  last  the  final  notes  die  away, 
far  above  the  world,  amidst  the  melodies  of 
eaven. 

"  Poor  Goethe,"  remarked  Mr.  Allston,  "  died 
callino-  upon  the  attendants  to  open  the  windows 
and  let  in  more  light." 

"Who  was  Goethe?"  whispered  Harry  to 
Minnie,  who  sat  by  his  side. 

"  I  don't  know.  We  will  ask  Walter  to-mor- 
row." 

Is  there  not  some  young  reader  of  this  page 
inquisitive  to  know  ?  It  will  pay  him  to  find 
out. 

The  party  soon  began  to  break  up  for  the 
night.  Mrs.  Percy  and  Minnie  retired  to  their 
apartments.  Walter  went  to  the  window,  and 
stood  looking  up  upon  the  dark  city,  in  which 
not  a  light  could  be  seen,  when  Dr.  Forrestall 
came  and  laid  his  hand  upon  his  shoulder. 

"  What  aro  you  looking  at,  Walter  ? "  he 
asked. 


202  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  Nothing,  Doctor,"  was  the  reply. 

**  What  are  you  thinking  about,  then  ?  " 

"  I  was  trying  to  recall  some  lines  I  learned 
long  ago,  which  are  suggested  to  my  mind  by 
the  way  of  contrast.  Here  is  a  city  of  darkness. 
A  field  of  graves  could  not  be  more  dismal ;  and 
I  was  thinking  of  some  lines,  written  by  I  know 
not  whom,  that  picture  a  city  at  night  all  lighted 
and  brilliant  with  flaring  lamps." 

"  Can  you  repeat  them  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Try  it.     We  should  like  to  hear." 

"  As  near  as  I  can  recall  them,  the  words  were 
these  :  — 

'*  *  The  city's  distant  lights  arrest  my  view, 
And  magic  fancy  whirls  me  to  the  scene. 
There  vice  and  folly  run  their  giddy  rounds ; 
There  eager  crowds  are  hurrying  to  the  sight 
Of  feigned  distress,  yet  have  not  time  to  hear 
The  shivering  orphan's  prayer.     The  flaring  larapa 
Of  gilded  chariots,  like  the  meteor  eyes 
Of  mighty  giants,  famed  in  legends  old, 
Illume  the  snowy  street;   the  silent  wheels 
On  heedless  passenger  steal  unperceived, 
Bearing  the  splendid  fair  to  flutter  round 
Amid  the  flowery  labyrinths  of  the  dance.'" 

"  That's  London  !  "  remarked  the  Doctor. 
"  Or  Paris,"  sutrsfested  Mr.  Butterworth 
"  Who  is  the  author  ?  "  asked  Harry. 


LOOKING  BACK.  203 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Walter.  "  Perhaps 
Bome  of  these  gentlemen  can  tell." 

"  You  will  be  oblio-ed  to  give  the  credit  of 
your  lines  to  Graham,"  said  Mr.  Allston.  "  He 
wrote  them." 

Soon  all  had  retired,  and  scarcely  one  of  tho 
party  but  dreamed  of  home  and  friends  far  away 
in  the  land  of  the  fi'ee. 

The  next  forenoon  was  spent  in  preparation 
for  sailing  ;  and  just  before  night  came  on,  the 
whole  party  were  rowed  out  in  little  boats  to  the 
French  steamer  CydnuSy  that  was  lying  in  the 
harbor,  and  soon  they  were  on  their  way  up  the 
Mediterranean  Sea.  The  evening  was  very  fair 
and  beautiful,  and  our  travellers  assembled  on  the 
deck  to  enjoy  it.  They  sang  religious  hymns 
and  patriotic  songs.  Walter  declaimed  one  or 
two  pieces  he  had  learned  at  school,  and  Dr. 
Forrestall  and  Mr.  Damrell  told  some  stories  of 
what  they  had  seen  in  other  travels,  and  thus 
the  evening  passed  away.  Harry  thought  it 
would  be  a  good  time  to  ask  the  question  which 
he  had  proposed  to  Minnie  the  night  before,  aiul 
so  he  asked, — 

*'  Please,  Mr.  Allston,  who  was  Goethe,  about 
whom  you  talked  last  evening?  " 

"  Goethe,"  said  the  gentleman  addressed, 
"  was  a  German  poet,  born  in  Frankfort-on-the- 
Main.     He  became  very  popular.     Knebel  says, 


204  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

— '  Everybody  worsliipped    him,    especially  tha 


women.'  " 


"  Ah  !  "  drawled  Minnie. 

"  His  life  was  an  up-and-down  one,  and  he 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  yeafs  " 

"  He  lived  a  long  life,  for  a  poet,''  remarked 
Walter. 

"  Yes  ;  his  frame  was  stout,  and  his  disposition 
cheerful  —  two  requisites  of  a  long  life.  In  one 
of  his  works,  he  says,  — '  From  my  father  I  de- 
rive my  frame  and  the  steady  quietude  of  my  life  ; 
and  from  my  dear  little  mother,  my  happy  dis- 
position and  love  of  story-telling.'  He  was  a 
famous  writer  of  ballads  and  sono-s." 

"  I  wish,"  said  Walter,  "  we  knew  some  of 
them." 

"  I  can  repeat  to  you,  boys,  a  little  gem  of 
Goethe,  that  I  wish  was  engraven  on  the  minds 
of  both  of  you,"  said  Mr.  Butterworth.  "  I  have 
often  repeated  it  to  boys,  and  always  with  a  wish 
that  they  would  catch  its  spirit." 

"  What  is  it  ? "  asked  both  the  boys  to- 
gether. 

Minnie  came  and  looked  up  in  the  gentle- 
man's face  as  he  repeated  the  following  lines :  — 

"  *  Without  haste  !    without  rest ! 
Bind  the  motto  to  thy  breast : 
Bear  it  with  thee  as  a  spell ; 
Storm  or  sunshine  guard  it  well  I 


LOOKING  BACK.  200 

Heed  not  flowers  that  round  thee  bloom, 
Bear  it  onward  to  the  tomb  I 

" '  Haste  not !  let  no  thoughtless  deed 
Mar  for  aye  the  spirit's  speed ; 
Ponder  well  and  know  the  right, 
Onward  then  with  all  thy  might : 
Haste  not !   years  can  ne'er  atone 
For  one  reckless  action  done. 

"  *  Rest  not !   life  is  sweeping  by, 
Do  and  dare  before  you  die  : 
Something  mighty  and  sublime 
Leave  behind  to  conquer  time  1 
Glorious  'tis  to  live  for  aye 
When  these  forms  have  passed  away. 

•* '  Haste  not !   rest  not !   calmly  wait : 
Meekly  bear  the  storms  of  fate  ! 
Duty  be  thy  poUir  guide  — 
Do  the  right  whate'er  betide ! 
Haste  not !   rest  not !   conflicts  past, 
God  shall  crown  thy  work  at  last.' " 

"  Beautiful  !  "  whispered  the  child,  as  the  last 
line  was  uttered. 

"  I'll  write  that  out  to-morrow,"  said  Walter. 
"  I  must  keep  that." 

The  conversation  now  changed  from  Goethe 
to  other  subjects.  Minnie  sat  on  a  seat,  with 
Walter  on  one  side  and  Harrv  on  the  other,  and 
there  they  conversed  and  sang  until  late  at 
night,   nur  would   they  then    have   sought   their 


206  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

pillows,  had    not    Mr.    Percy   required    them  to 
do  so. 

The  next  day  was  beautiful.  Not  a  ripple 
disturbed  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  scarcely  a 
motion  of  the  vessel  was  perceptible.  She  cut 
lu;r  way  through  the  blue  waters  as  if  she  were 
a  tiling  of  life,  and  left  nothing  but  a  little  foamy 
line  in  her  wake. 

About  the  middle  of  the  forenoon,  Walter  was 
looking  over  the  stern  of  the  vessel  with  a  shade 
of  sadness  on  his  face,  when  Mr.  Dunnallan  ap- 
proached him. 

"  What  are  you  thinking  about  now,  my 
lad  ?  "  asked  the  gentleman  ;  "  you  look  sad  ?  " 

"  T  was  thinking,"  replied  Walter,  "  that  I 
should  never  see  that  country  again." 

"  What  country  ?  " 

"  Why,  Egypt,  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs." 

"  Does  that  make  you  sad  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sir,  it  does.  I  have  been  so  much  in- 
terested in  Egypt  that  I  feel  bad  at  leaving  so 
Boon.  I  have  been  charmed  with  this  dreamy 
land,  and  I  should  like  to  stay  in  Alexandria  a 
vear." 

"  It  is  beautiful  for  situation,  but  it  has  none 
of  the  attractions  which  it  had  at  the  time  when 
Campbell  describes  its  '  gates  as  looking  out  on 
the  gilded  barges  of  the  Nile ;  on  fleets  at  sea, 
under  full  sail ;  on  a  harbor  that  sheltered  jiavies; 


LOOKING  BACK.  207 

and  a  iisht-house  that  was  the  mariner's  star,  and 
the  wonder  of  the  world.'  " 

"I  should  like  to  have  seen  it  then,"  ex- 
claimed Walter,  enthusiastically.  But  as  it  is, 
I  wish  we  could  have  remained  much  longer. 
I  am  sad  to  think  I  shall  never  come  back 
here  again." 

"  Oh,  you  may  come  back  here.  You  are 
but  a  boy  yet,  and  as  the  facilities  for  travel- 
ling increase  every  year,  you  may  anticipate 
another  visit  to  this  interesting  land." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  that.  I  may  come  hero 
again,  then.  If  I  do,  I  will  go  up  the  Nile  as 
far  as  I  can  get  a  dragoman  to  take  me." 

"  Hallo,  Walter,  you  here !  I  have  been 
looking  for  you  below,"  cried  Harry,  approach- 


ing- 


"  We  have  been  talking  here." 

"What  about?" 

"  Egypt  and  the  Egyptians." 

"  Well,"  said  Harry,  "  there  is  something  I 
would  like  to  know  about  the  old  Egyptians,  the 
ancient  people  of  Pharaoh's  time." 

"  What  is  it  vou  would  wish  to  know  ? " 
asked  Mr.  Dunnallan. 

"  Were  the  ancient  Egyptians  black  or 
white  ?  " 

"  There  are  various  opinions  as  to  that." 

'*  Can't  you  tell  us  something  about  thera  ?  '* 


208  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

"  Nothing  but  what  I  can  quote  from  others. 
I  have  given  the  subject  no  study.  Denon 
describes  the  ancient  people  of  this  laud,  — 
founded  upon  a  personal  examination  of  Egyp- 
tian statues,  busts,  and  bas-reliefs  :  '  Full,  but 
delicate  and  voluptuous  forms;  countenances 
sedate  and  placid ;  round  and  soft  features  ;  with 
eyes  long,  almond-shaped,  half-shut,  and  lan- 
guishing, and  turned  up  at  the  outer  angles,  as 
if  habitually  fatigued  by  the  light  and  heat  of  the 
sun  ;  cheeks  round ;  thick  lips,  full  and  promi- 
nent ;  mouths  large,  but  cheerful  and  smiling ; 
complexions  dark,  ruddy,  and  coppery ;  and  the 
whole  aspect  displaying,  —  as  one  of  the  most 
graphic  delineators  among  modern  travellers  has 
observed,  —  the  genuine  African  character,  of 
which  the  negro  is  the  exaggerated  and  extreme 
representation.' " 

"  Is  that  the  general  opinion  ?  "  asked  Walter. 

"  There  are  so  many  opinions,  that  I  do  not 
know  which  way  the  majority  incline.  Dr. 
Prichard  tells  us  '  that  the  ancient  Egyptians 
were  a  dark-colored  people ;  and  that,  at  the 
same  time,  great  varieties  of  color  existed  among 
them,  as  is  the  case  with  the  modern  Hindoos 
and  Abyssinians.'  V.olney  argues  strongly  that 
they  were  negroes,  and  bases  his  opinion  on  pas- 
sages in  the  works  of  Herodotus,  jEschylus,  and 
Lucia  n." 


LOOKING  BACK.  209 

"I  should  think  the  men  who  have  paid  sg 
much  attention  to  Egyptian  sculpture,"  said 
Walter,  "  would  know  to  what  race  the  ancient 
inhabitants  belonged." 

"  The  Copts  were  descendants  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  and  Mr.  Ledyard  says  of  them :  —  'I 
suspect  the  Copts  to  have  been  the  origin  of  the 
negro  race ;  the  nose  and  lips  correspond  with 
those  of  the  negro.  The  hair,  wherever  I  can 
see  it  among  the  people  here,  is  curled,  not  like 
that  of  the  negroes,  but  like  the  mulattoes.' " 

"  Who  were  the  Copts,"  asked  Harry. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Walter. 

"  They  are  the  descendants  of  the  people  who 
lived  in  Egypt  in  the  time  of  the  Ptolemies," 
remarked  Mr.  Dunnallan.  "  They  are  a  very  in- 
teresting peoj)le,  nominal  Christians,  mingling 
with  the  Moslems,  and  at  some  convenient  time 
1  will  give  you  all  I  know  of  their  history. 
There  are  Coptic  villages  all  through  the  land." 

"  What  color  are  they  ?  " 

"  A  dark,  deep  brown,  almost  black.  We 
suppose  this  to  be  the  color  of  the  ancient  people. 
One  writer  has  said,  that  '  If  we  may  form  an 
idea  of  the  complexion  of  the  ancient  Egyptians 
from  the  paintings  found  in  their  tem})les  and 
tombs,  the  coloring  of  their  statues  and  bas- 
reliefs,  and  of  the  sycamore  cases  in  which  their 
mummies  are  found  enclosed,  we  must  come  to 
14 


210  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

the  conclusion  that  they  were  of  a  reddish-brown 
color,  like  the  existing  Foulah  and  Kaffir  tribes. 
The  male  figures  are  invariably  painted  with  this 
color,  and  the  female  figures  sometimes  of  a 
lighter  shade  of  the  same  color,  and  sometimes 
yellow  or  yellowish-brown.' 

"  '  This  red  color,'  says  Dr.  Prichard,  *  is  evi- 
dently intended  to  represent  the  complexion  of 
the  people,  and  is  not  put  on  in  the  want  of  a 
lighter  paint,  or  flesh  color ;  for  when  the  limbs 
or  bodies  are  represented  as  seen  through  a  thin 
veil,  the  tint  used  resembles  the  complexion  of 
Europeans.  The  same  shade  might  have  been 
generally  adopted,  if  a  darker  one  had  not  been 
preferred,  as  more  truly  representing  the  national 
complexion  of  the  Egyptian  race.'  " 

"  About  these  Copts,"  asked  Walter ;  "  are 
ihey  real  Christians  ?  " 

"  No.     Far  from  it." 

"  What  are  they  ?  " 

"  Mostly  thieves,  cheats,  and  beggars." 

"  And  yet  Christians  ?  " 

"  Nominal  Christians,  as  the  Maronites  in 
Syria,  or  vile,  wicked  men  in  America  are  nom- 
inal Christians  ;  —  they  are  not  Moslems  nor 
worshipper  of  idols.     Do  you  understand?" 

"  Yes,  Sir." 

The  trio  was  now  joined  by  some  other  per- 
sons of  the  party,  and  the  conversation  about  the 


LOOKING  BACK.  211 

Copts  was  continued,  and  the  boys  treasured  up 
a  great  many  facts  in  relation  to  that  strange  but 
very  interesting  people.  They  were  very  much 
surprised  to  hear  that  there  were  sixty  thousand 
ot"  them  in  Cairo  alone.  They  had  supposed 
tiiat  the  people  of  Cairo  were  almost  all  Mussul- 
mans. 

There  are  few  passages  more  delightful  than 
the    sail    from    Alexandria    to    Joppa    in    fair 
weather  in  summer ;  and  so  great  was  the  con- 
trast between  this  smooth,  quiet  voyage  and  the 
rough,    wild    passage   from    Marseilles,   that  the 
boys  seemed  beside  themselves  with  joy.     The 
heavens  above  seemed  clearer,  and  the  sea  bluer, 
and  the  weather  more  delightful,  than  they  eve) 
saw  it  before.     They  had  on  board  people  of  al- 
most all  nations,  but  as  they  were  almost  the  only 
Franks,  great  attention  was  shown  them.     Harrv 
made  the  acquaintance  of  almost  everybody  who 
could   speak   a   word   of  English.      Walter   was 
much  interested  in  an  Englishman  on  board,  who 
was  well  acquainted  with  the  great  traveller  and 
discoverer,  Austen  Henry  Layard,  who  exhumed 
the  remains  of  the  past  at  Nimrod,  and  brought 
to  view  so  many  relics  of  forgotten  ages. 

"  How  did  he  travel  ?  "  asked  Walter ;  "  as  we 
do,  —  with  little  baggage,  —  or  with  a  large 
number  of  people  and  much  baggage  ?  " 

"  He  tra\ielled,"  said  the  Englishman,  "  in  the 


212  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

best  way  ;  taking  little  or  nothing  with  him,  but 
drawing  his  suppHes  from  the  country  through 
which  he  passed." 

"  I  should  think  a  rich  man  would  feel  the 
privations  of  such  regions  as  Layard  passed 
through  so  much  that  it  would  be  no  pleasure 
to  travel." 

"  No,  my  lad  ;  to  a  traveller  anywhere  much 
lu-o-crao-e  is  not  a  comfort,  but  a  burden.  A 
traveller  does  not  miss  the  comforts  of  home.  I 
judge  you  have  a  good  home ;  but  do  you  think 
it  a  hardship  to  travel  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  Sir;  it  is  a  great  pleasure.  The 
very  privations  are  pleasures." 

"  So  it  was  to  my  friend  Layard.  He  him- 
self says  :  —  'I  had  been  wandering  through 
Asia  Minor  and  Syria,  scarcely  leaving  untrod 
one  spot  hallowed  by  tradition,  or  unvisited  one 
ruin  consecrated  by  history.  I  was  accompanied 
by  one  no  less  curious  and  enthusiastic  than  my- 
self We  were  both  equally  careless  of  comfort 
and  unmindful  of  danger.  We  rode' alone;  our 
arms  were  our  only  protection  ;  a  valise  behind 
our  saddles  was  our  wardrobe  ;  and  we  tended 
our  own  horses,  except  when  relieved  from  the 
luty  by  the  hospitable  inha,bitants  of  a  Turcoman 
village  or  an  Arab  tent.  Thus  unembarrassed 
by  needless  luxuries,  and  uninfluenced  by  the 
opinions    or    prejudices    of    others,    we    mixed 


LOOKING   BACK.  213 

amongst  the  people,  acquired  without  effort  their 
manners,  and  enjoyed  witliout  alloy  those  emo- 
tions Avhich  scenes  so  novel  and  spots  so  rich  in 
varied  association  cannot  fail  to  produce.'  " 

"  Then  he  was  glad  to  be  without  needless 
luxuries." 

"  Yes  ;  as  every  traveller  is.  There  is  a  great 
care  upon  a  man  who  has  trunks  and  boxes  to 
look  after,  and  I  never  should  want  to  travel 
with  them." 

"  That  is  the  way  we  are  to  travel  in  Syria ; 
we  shall  have  nothing  but  one  bag  apiece." 

"  You  will  be  more  comfortable  for  it,  and 
liave  more  pleasure  in  looking  back  upon  your 
tour  afterwai'd.  Mr.  Layard,  in  whom  you 
seem  to  take  so  much  interest, — and  that  interest 
pleases  me,  for  he  is  a  dear  friend  of  mine,  — 
said,  years  after  :  —  'I  look  back  with  feelings 
of  grateful  delight  to  those  happy  days,  when, 
free  and  unheeded,  we  left  at  dawn  the  humble 
cottage  or  cheerful  tent,  and  lino-ering  as  we 
listed,  unconscious  of  distance  and  of  the  hour, 
found  ourselves,  as  the  sun  went  down,  under 
some  hoary  ruin  tenanted  by  the  wandering 
Arab,  or  in  some  crumbling  village  still  bearing 
a  well-known  name.  No  experienced  dragoman 
measured  our  distances,  and  appointed  our  sta- 
tions. We  were  honored  with  no  conversations 
by  pachas,  nor  did  we   seek  any  civihties  from 


214  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

governors.  We  neither  drew  tears  nor  cursea 
irom  the  villagers  bj  seizing  their  horses,  or 
searching  their  houses  for  provisions  ;  their  wel- 
come was  sincere ;  their  scanty  fare  was  placet! 
before  ns ;  we  ate,  and  came  and  went  in 
peace.' " 

"  Where  can  I  read  something  about  Mr. 
Layard  ?  " 

"  You  can  read  what  he  says  of  himself  in  his 
great  work  on  Nineveh,  which  contains  a  hun- 
dred splendid  engravings  of  moinnnents  and 
sculptures  and  ruins  which  he  saw." 

"  I  must  read  it.  I  wonder  I  have  not  read  it 
before." 

This  English  gentleman  became  much  inter- 
ested in  Walter,  and  told  him  many  things  about 
countries  throucrh  which  he  himself  had  travelled, 
and  the  boy  persisted  in  calling  his  father,  that 
he  might  introduce  to  him  his  new  friend.  Mr. 
Percy  was  much  pleased  with  the  gentleman, 
who  proved  to  be  a  wealthy  merchant,  who  had 
acquired  a  great  fund  of  information,  and  who 
was  very  felicitous  in  his  manner  of  communi- 
cating it. 

"  What  a  very  disagreeable  man  that  was  that 
you  have  just  been  talking  with,"  said  Min- 
nie, as  the  Englishman  turned  away. 

"  Disagreeable  ? "  asked  the  boy  in  swr* 
prise. 


LOOKING  BACK.  215 

"Yes,  Mr.  Wonder." 

*'  Far  from  it.  He  is  one  of  the  most 
agreeable  men  I  have  met  since  I  left  home." 

"  I  should  think  he  was  !  He  talks  about 
nothing  but  old  statues  and  sculpture  and 
such  thincrs." 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  he  talks  about  many  things.  He 
is  a  connoisseur  of  poetry  and  painting,  and 
the  fine  arts." 

"  I  don't  want  to  know  anything  about  fine 
arts." 

"  You  are  much  like  George  II.,"  said  Mr. 
Damrell,  advancing. 

"  How  am  I  like  him  ?  "  asked  the  girl. 

"  Why,  it  was  he,  I  believe,  who  said,  '  / 
hate  boetry  and  bahiting.''  " 

"  No,  Mr.  Damrell,  I  do  not  hate  poetry 
and  painting,  but  these  old  statues  without 
heads,  faces  without  noses,  and  all  that.  Oh, 
dear,  it  is  so  dry." 

"  So  Kino;  George  thought." 

"  Plague  take   King  George  !  " 

The  shades  of  evening  were  now  approach- 
ing, and  the  two  boys  were  eager  that  the  sun 
should  set  and  the  ni<;ht  be  gone,  for  on  the 
morrow  they  expected  to  see  the  shores  of 
Palestine.  Harrv  remained  on  deck  long  after 
many  of  the  passengers  had  gone  to  rest,  and 
Walter  sat  up  writing  in   his  Journal.     While 


216  WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

he  is  writing  we  will    look    over    his  shoiilder, 
and  see  what  he  is  about :  — 


"  Steamship  Cydnus, 
•'  Off  the  Sliores  of  Palestine. 

"  I  am  thinkino;  of  home  !  I  often  think  of 
home,  though  my  dearest  earthly  friends  are 
with  me  here  upon  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It 
is  now  late  at  night,  and  the  passengers  are 
mostly  in  their  berths.  Minnie  has  been  in 
dreamland  two  long  hours,  but  Harry  is  still 
on  deck,  trying  to  talk  with  the  Arabs,  who 
cannot  understand  a  word  he  says.  Overhead 
I  hear  low  voices  in  conversation,  but  the 
tongue  is  a  strano-e  one,  and  the  sound  reaches 
my  ear  like  a  silver  ripple  of  melody.  I 
hear  the  waters  gliding  beneath  the  keel,  or 
rippling  against  tlie  vessel's  sides.  On  be- 
fore us  is  Jerusalem,  and  the  land  once  trod 
by  the  blessed  footsteps  of  the  Son  of  Mary 
and  Joseph,  —  the  Son  of  God.  Far  away  be- 
hind is  Egypt,  land  of  mythology  and  art,  — 
but  how  changed !  Who  would  ever  have  sup- 
posed this  dreary  region  we  have  left  to  have 
once  been  the  queen-land  of  the  «{vrth  ?  Who 
would  ever  have  supposed  that  this  country 
Was  once  the  home  of  Plato  and  Solon  ? 

"  '  Egypt,  thy  halls  are  desolate  !     The  steps 
Of  man  scai'ce  wake  thy  death-like  Solitudes. 


LOOKING  BACK.  217 

No  throng  in  might  and  beauty  gathers  here ; 
No  pealing  anthems  from  thy  temples  rise ; 
No  sound  of  music  tails  upon  the  ear : 
But  hollow  winds  in  mournful  murmurs  sweep, 
Wailing  a  requiem  for  the  buried  Past.' 

"  I  wonder  if  London  will  ever  become  like 
Memphis,  and  Paris  like  Thebes  ?  Sometimes 
when  I  think  and  read,  it  seems  to  me  that 
nations  come  up  to  greatness  and  die  out.  I 
wonder  if  the  United  States  will  ever  sink 
down  into  the  degradation  of  Egypt  ?  What 
if  Cambridge  should  become  like  Heliopolis, 
and  Boston  like  Cairo !  What  an  insult  to  the 
'  hub  of  the  universe  '  the  suj)position  is  !  But 
when  I  remember  that  Rome  and  Babylon 
and  Nineveh  have  all  fallen,  I  do  not  see  why 
modern  cities  may  not  be  given  to  decay. 

"  I  can  hardly  realize  that  I  am  ajiproaching 
Jerusalem,  where  I  shall  see  so  many  things 
connected  with  Bible  history.  I  wonder  if  I 
shall  find  things  as  my  fancy  has  jiainted  them? 
I  wonder  if  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  and 
Mount  Calvary  will  look  as  ministers  have  de- 
scribed them  ?  I  seem  to  be  dreaming  over 
the  tour  we  are  takiniJi;.  Well,  we  shall  see  in 
a  few  days  wjiat  Jerusalem  looks  like;  whether 
it  is  as  it  is  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures.  Oh, 
with  what  delightful  emotions  shall  "  — 


218  WALTER  IN   EGYPT. 

"  Up  yet,  Walt  ?  "  said  Harry,  opening  the 
door  of  the  state-room. 

*'  Yes.     I  do  not  feel  like  sleeping.'' 

"  What  are  you  doing  ?  " 

"  Jotting  down  some  thoughts." 

"  Hang  your  thoughts,  Walter.  Herj  you 
sit  up,  keeping  your  pen  scratching  over  the 
paper  all  night  most,  and  who  is  the  wiser  for 
it?" 

"  I  am." 

"  I  doubt  that." 

"  We  shall  see  after  we  get  home.  Writ- 
ing out  what  we  see  has  several  advantages." 

"  I'd  like  to  know  what  they  are." 

"  I'll  tell  you.  In  the  first  place,  what  I 
write  down  I  remember  better  than  if  I  do 
not  write.  The  process  of  writing  seems  to 
fix  names,  dates,  distances,  and  such  matters  in 
my  memory." 

"  Names  and  dates  !  —  what  do  you  want  to 
remember  them  for  ?  " 

"  They  will  be  important  for  me  at  some 
ftiture  time." 

"  You  may  write  if  you  will,  but  I  won't." 

"  You  may  want  to  tell  what  you  have 
seen  after  you  get  home,  and  if  you  have  your 
notes,  you  may  be  able  to  make  youx'self  more 
interesting  to  those  with  whom  you  con- 
verse." 


LOOKING  BACK.  219 

"  Perhaps  I  should  write  some,  as  I  prom- 
ised the  old  man  "  — 

"  Old  man  ! '' 

"  Father,  I  mean  —  that  I  would  write  a  fulj 
account  of  all  I  saw." 

"  You  should  keep  your  promise,  then." 

"  I  can't,  so  there  is  the  end  of  it.  I  was 
never  made  for  a  literary  character." 

"  That  is  true ;  but  what  were  you  made 
for?" 

"  To  make  money." 

"  Why  didn't  you  say,  '  to  spend  it '  ?  " 

"  Both,  if  you  like." 

"  My  father  has  taught  me  that  there  is  a 
higher,  grander  object  of  life  than  the  accumu- 
lation of  money," 

"  Your  father  is  odd,  and  too  high  in  his 
notions." 

"  Not  too  hio-h  in  his  notions.  You  will  find 
at  some  future  time  that  father's  high  moral 
princij)le  is  ^'orth  more  than  gold." 

"  Oh,  I  wouldn't  say  one  word  against  your 
father.  I  hope  you  didn't  think  so.  But  I  mean 
that  he  is  too  —  too — I  don't  know  what." 

"  Certainly,  you  don't  know  what." 

"  But  I  feel  what  I  am  unable  to  express 
about  it." 

"  Well,  you  will  find  that  my  father  is  a 
true  friend  and  adviser." 


220  WALTER    IN    EGYPT. 

"  I  know  he  is,  Walter ;  but  I  have  nevei 
been  restrained  much,  and  the  notions  of  my 
father  are  different  from  the  ideas  in  which  you 
have  been  brought  up.  I  have  been  aHowed  to 
be  reckless  in  speech,  and  have  had  my  own 
way.  Father  does  not  pay  much  attention 
to  my  behavior.  He  wants  me  to  sow  all 
my  wild  oats  while  I  am  young.  So  he 
says." 

"  My  father  says  that  those  who  sow  '  wild 
oats,'  —  as  you  call  them,  —  when  they  are 
young,  will  generally  keep  on  wrong  all  through 
life." 

"  But  I  don't  do  anything  bad." 

"  Of  course  not ;  but,  Harry,  if  you  were 
thrown  into  bad  associations  you  might  do  bad 
things.  You  are  reckless  of  consequences,  and 
thoughtless  as  to  what  you  do." 

"  I  know  it.     I  am  very  impulsive." 

"  Yes,  you  are ;  and  Mr.  Stanhope,  the 
Superintendent  of  oxu'  Sabbath-School,  told 
me  once,  that  a  boy  who  was  impulsive 
ought  to  have  double  guard  over  his  con- 
duct,  as  he  was  in  more  danger  of  doing 
wrong  and  speaking  wrong,  than  if  he  was 
less  impulsive.  And  Mr.  Falkner  has  said 
repeatedly  "  — 

"Oh,  get  out.  Mr.  Falkner  all  the  time. 
I  don't  want  to  hear  anything  about  him." 


LOOKING   BACK.  221 

*'  There  it  is  again.  You  burst  out  in- 
to a  flame  most  always." 

"  I  can't  help  it.  You  keep  quoting  Falk- 
ner  all  the  time,  and  it  vexes  me,  because 
he  has  never  treated  me  well." 

"  Nonsense  !  " 

"  It  is  not  nonsense.  My  father  says,  lie 
does  not  understand  me,  nor  anybody  else  who 
is  not  prim  and  dignified,  as  you  are." 

"  I  have  never  so  seen  it." 

"  No  ;  you  are  one  of  his  pets.  How  he 
scolded  me  that  time  for  showing  Rose  Thorn- 
ton how  to  do  her  sum  !  " 

"  You  were  wrong,  and  he  was  right  in 
that." 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  was  ;  but  he  should 
not  have  been  so  savage  about  it." 

"  He  spoke  sternly  to  you,  but  not  sav- 
agely." 

"  Well,  let  it  go  now." 

"  I  think  it  is  time  for  us  to  go  to  bed 
now." 

"  I  guess  it  is." 

"  Shall  I  say  prayers  before  we  go  to 
sleep  ?  " 

*'  I  have  no  objections,  if  you  wish  to.  I 
never  was  accustomed  to  pray  at  home,  but  1 
rather  like  it." 

"  I  have  always  been  accustomed  to  pray  to 


222  ■      WALTER  IN  EGYPT. 

my  Heavenly  Father.  I  should  not  dare  lie 
down  to  sleep  without  committing  my  body 
and  soul  to  my  Maker." 

"  Yes  ;  I  somehow  feel  safer  after  you  have 
prayed." 

"  I  have  heard  it  said  that  John  Quincy 
Adams  —  who  was  President  of  the  United 
States — up  to  his  dying  day,  never  went  to 
sleep  at  night  without  repeating  the  '  Lord's 
Prayer,'  and  saying  a  little  verse  which  hia 
mother  taught  him  when  a  child." 

"  What  verse  ?  " 

"  It  is  this  :  — 

" '  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep ; 
I  pray  the  Lord  my  soul  to  keep. 
If  I  should  die  before  I  wake, 
I  pray  the  Lord  my  soul  to  take.' " 

Walter  then  bowed  his  knees,  and  offered  up 
his  evening  prayer,  and  the  two  boys  sought 
their  rest. 

We  leave  them  asleep,  while  the  huga 
engines  working  below  impel  the  steamer  tow- 
ards the  blessed  shore  of  the  Holy  I^and. 


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